What is National News Literacy Week? Event seeks to combat conspiracy theories online
Eight in 10 U.S. teenagers are exposed to conspiracy theories on social media at least once a week, a recent study found.
Of those teenagers, around 81% believe at least one, according the News Literacy Project, which published the report in October.
With a rise in misinformation, AI-generated content and cynicism toward the press, the nonpartisan, nonprofit group aims to equip youth with the ability to critically examine the information available. Among the many methods to achieve their mission is organizing National News Literacy Week.
This year the News Literacy Project is partnering with Paste BN to help students navigate social media and the online world.
"Kids are turning to [social media] for all kinds of things, and if they don't know how to find credible information, it's very easy to to stumble down deep, dark rabbit holes," News Literacy Project senior spokesperson Christina Veiga told Paste BN. "We want students to be able to understand what makes information credible, and especially to be able to identify quality journalism so that they know what to trust and what to seek out when they're looking for information."
Here's what to know to know about the annual event.
What is National News Literacy Week?
National News Literacy Week is a public awareness campaign aimed at advancing student's ability to critically examine the reliability and credibility of news.
Organized by the News Literacy Project, the five day event contains several virtual workshops and panels for educators looking to teach news literacy skills. This year events will enlighten educators on topics from identifying media bias to understanding journalism responsibility to keep institutions accountable.
When is National News Week?
The 2025 National News Literacy Week is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 3 to Friday, Feb. 7, 2025.
Workshops and panels will be scheduled virtually allow educators from across the nation to attend and learn.
What is news literacy?
News literacy refences to the ability to determine the credibility of news and other information available.
The News Literacy Project states the skill is necessary to "recognize the standards of fact-based, high-quality journalism. It is an essential 21st–century skill, central to any media literacy, digital literacy or civics program."
Why 2025 event is geared toward educators
While prior years focused on informing the general public, the 2025 National News Literacy Week emphasizes teaching news literacy to educators.
Veiga said the News Literacy Project finds it essential to promote news literacy skills in the classroom so youth can navigate the information they see in social media and the internet.
The organization's October study found that students with news literacy skills are more likely to do the following:
- Engage in civic-minded activities, including challenging misinformation online
- Correctly identify when a image of a real person is AI-generated
- Advance active news habits and have a higher trust toward news media