NESCO’s Global Media and Information Literacy Week was observed at the end of October, under the theme “Minds over AI.” It was a much–needed call to strengthen our ability to critically engage with information as AI reshapes our world.
Misinformation (incorrect or misleading information) and disinformation (deliberately false information intended to deceive) aren’t new. But AI has made them faster, cheaper, and far more convincing. We are witnessing the production of information on a much larger scale than ever before. It is now personalized and targeted. And, it may be distributed by systems that reward outrage over accuracy. Collectively, this combination has the potential to make us more vulnerable to harm as a result of disinformation.
That harm can be on an individual level, but also across societies through widening inequality, sharpening polarization, and eroding trust.
Information is powerful. The information we consume impacts the biggest global issues of our time, from climate action to public health to conflict. Understanding the possible harms of inaccurate or even intentionally corrupted information is vital if we are to take constructive action as individuals and communities.
In today’s world, we need the tools to tell veracity from virality. Yet, the days of looking out for too many fingers or em dashes to detect AI–generated content are gone. We need a much deeper toolkit to navigate the seas of information ahead.
There is no question this must start with education. Education is a foundational pillar to help people understand disinformation and the potential it has to cause harm. Without it, every other response is more fragile.
So, we urge leaders to carry the focus on media and information literacy into the months ahead and to consider how they can help learners develop a robust approach to navigating the new information landscape. At its core, we need to equip students to ask three questions: Who is telling me this, and why? Is this information true? Could this message cause harm to me or others?
These questions are the foundation of ‘epistemic security’—society’s ability to keep knowledge safe and people resilient to manipulation. When we equip everyone to think critically, weigh up sources, and spot possible dangers, individuals and communities are stronger and more secure.
What does this look like for education in the real world?
First, we can and should weave media and information literacy across our education systems. These three questions sound simple, but they are made up of skills that students must learn and practise. Rather than one–off workshops, we need to develop these skills across different subjects and stages. Media and information literacy skills require us to build and use our knowledge and values too. So, as a recent Cambridge report argues, we need education systems to develop the whole person to prepare young people for the future.
Second, we need to support teachers. Around the world, teachers are already stretched. We can’t just add more to their plates. Instead, we need to give them the training, time, and resources to help students build media and information literacy skills. This is essential for every classroom to become a place where young people learn to think critically about what they see.
Finally, we must improve access to quality education to help address the potential scale of harm disinformation can cause. Some narratives are more likely to take root and cause harm when exacerbating existing issues—from economic insecurity to social exclusion. Education is a powerful tool to tackle inequality. To build peace. To nurture community. We need to treat it as such as double down on investments in improving education for all children.
To talk about rapid change is now a cliché. We need to call for a rapid response. If we invest in education now, we can build resilience that ripples across generations.
a global affairs media network
Minds over AI: To tackle disinformation, look to education
Image via Adobe Stock.
November 10, 2025
As AI makes misinformation and disinformation faster, cheaper, and more convincing, we need the tools to tell veracity from virality. The foundational pillar of those tools must be education, write Alan Jagolinzer, Eliot Higgins, and Jane Mann.
U
NESCO’s Global Media and Information Literacy Week was observed at the end of October, under the theme “Minds over AI.” It was a much–needed call to strengthen our ability to critically engage with information as AI reshapes our world.
Misinformation (incorrect or misleading information) and disinformation (deliberately false information intended to deceive) aren’t new. But AI has made them faster, cheaper, and far more convincing. We are witnessing the production of information on a much larger scale than ever before. It is now personalized and targeted. And, it may be distributed by systems that reward outrage over accuracy. Collectively, this combination has the potential to make us more vulnerable to harm as a result of disinformation.
That harm can be on an individual level, but also across societies through widening inequality, sharpening polarization, and eroding trust.
Information is powerful. The information we consume impacts the biggest global issues of our time, from climate action to public health to conflict. Understanding the possible harms of inaccurate or even intentionally corrupted information is vital if we are to take constructive action as individuals and communities.
In today’s world, we need the tools to tell veracity from virality. Yet, the days of looking out for too many fingers or em dashes to detect AI–generated content are gone. We need a much deeper toolkit to navigate the seas of information ahead.
There is no question this must start with education. Education is a foundational pillar to help people understand disinformation and the potential it has to cause harm. Without it, every other response is more fragile.
So, we urge leaders to carry the focus on media and information literacy into the months ahead and to consider how they can help learners develop a robust approach to navigating the new information landscape. At its core, we need to equip students to ask three questions: Who is telling me this, and why? Is this information true? Could this message cause harm to me or others?
These questions are the foundation of ‘epistemic security’—society’s ability to keep knowledge safe and people resilient to manipulation. When we equip everyone to think critically, weigh up sources, and spot possible dangers, individuals and communities are stronger and more secure.
What does this look like for education in the real world?
First, we can and should weave media and information literacy across our education systems. These three questions sound simple, but they are made up of skills that students must learn and practise. Rather than one–off workshops, we need to develop these skills across different subjects and stages. Media and information literacy skills require us to build and use our knowledge and values too. So, as a recent Cambridge report argues, we need education systems to develop the whole person to prepare young people for the future.
Second, we need to support teachers. Around the world, teachers are already stretched. We can’t just add more to their plates. Instead, we need to give them the training, time, and resources to help students build media and information literacy skills. This is essential for every classroom to become a place where young people learn to think critically about what they see.
Finally, we must improve access to quality education to help address the potential scale of harm disinformation can cause. Some narratives are more likely to take root and cause harm when exacerbating existing issues—from economic insecurity to social exclusion. Education is a powerful tool to tackle inequality. To build peace. To nurture community. We need to treat it as such as double down on investments in improving education for all children.
To talk about rapid change is now a cliché. We need to call for a rapid response. If we invest in education now, we can build resilience that ripples across generations.
