How to use artificial intelligence technology and Big Data to help develop critical thinking in young people and the goal of reducing disinformation that targets children and young people through online social media?
Disinformation is currently the most frequently cited problem occurring in social media from which children and young people gain knowledge. Companies engage advertising companies that specialize in running online advertising campaigns, in which advertising spots, videos and banners informing people about promotional offers for products and services sold are posted on social media. The aforementioned online social media are also viewed by children and teenagers. For some of these social media, the primary audiences for profiled information and marketing messages are mainly school-aged youth. Children and adolescents are particularly susceptible to the influence of information transferred through the aforementioned online media. Advertisements are thematically profiled to correlate with issues that are in the field of the main interests of children and adolescents. Unfortunately, many offers of various products and services promoted through online advertising campaigns are not suitable for children and adolescents and/or generate a lot of negative effects. Nowadays, applications based on generative artificial intelligence technology, intelligent chatbots, are increasingly used to generate banners, graphics, photos, videos, animations, advertising spots. With the help of these tools, which are available on the Internet, it is possible to create a photo, graphic or video on the basis of a written command, i.e. a kind of digitally generated works of such high graphic quality that it is very difficult to determine whether they are, for example, authentic photos taken with a camera or smartphone or are supposedly photos generated by an intelligent chatbot. It is especially difficult to resolve this kind of issue for children and young people who view these kinds of artificial intelligence technology-generated "works" used in banners or advertising videos. It is necessary, therefore, that education should develop in children the ability to think critically, to ask questions, to question the veracity of the content of advertisements, not to accept uncritically everything found in online social media. It is essential to add the issue of learning critical thinking to the process of educating children and young people. The goal of such education should be, among other things, to develop in children and young people the ability to identify disinformation, including the increasingly common factoids, deepfakes, etc. in online social media. In connection with the fact that in the creation of disinformation occurring mainly in the aforementioned social media are involved applications based on artificial intelligence, so children and adolescents should, within the framework of education, learn about the applications available on the Internet based on generative artificial intelligence technology, through which it is possible to generate texts, graphics, photos, drawings, animations and videos in a partially automated manner according to a given verbal command. This is how the applications available on the Internet based on the new technologies of Industry 4.0/5.0, including generative artificial intelligence and Big Data technologies, should be used to help develop critical thinking and a kind of resistance to misinformation in young people. During school lessons, students should learn about the capabilities of AI-based applications available on the Internet and use them creatively to develop critical thinking skills. In this way, it is possible to reduce disinformation directed through online social media towards children and young people.
I described the key issues of opportunities and threats to the development of artificial intelligence technology in my article below:
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I described the applications of Big Data technologies in sentiment analysis, business analytics and risk management in my co-authored article:
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In view of the above, I address the following question to the esteemed community of scientists and researchers:
How to use artificial intelligence and Big Data technologies to help develop critical thinking in young people and the goal of reducing misinformation that targets children and young people through online social media?
How can artificial intelligence technology be used to help educate youth in critical thinking and the ability to identify disinformation?
And what is your opinion about it?
What is your opinion on this issue?
Please answer,
I invite everyone to join the discussion,
Thank you very much,
Best regards,
Dariusz Prokopowicz
The above text is entirely my own work written by me on the basis of my research.
In writing this text I did not use other sources or automatic text generation systems.
Copyright by Dariusz Prokopowicz
In my view, the use of AI and big data technologies to help develop critical thinking skills in young people and combat misinformation targeting them through social media is a necessity in today's digital landscape. The prevalence of misinformation and disinformation campaigns, especially those aimed at exploiting the vulnerabilities of younger audiences, is a significant concern that requires a multi-pronged approach to address effectively.
While I believe that AI and big data can be powerful tools in this endeavor, I also firmly believe that their application should be subject to rigorous ethical and governance frameworks. The potential for bias, invasion of privacy, and manipulation inherent in these technologies must be carefully monitored and mitigated through transparency, accountability, and human oversight.
Moreover, I don't think technological solutions alone are sufficient to address this challenge. They must be complemented by robust educational initiatives that foster media literacy, digital citizenship, and critical thinking from an early age. Empowering young people with the ability to critically evaluate information sources, recognize manipulation tactics, and make informed decisions is crucial for navigating the digital landscape responsibly.
Collaborative efforts involving educators, parents, policymakers, and technology experts are essential to create a supportive ecosystem that nurtures these essential skills in young people. Additionally, continuous research and evidence-based policymaking are needed to keep pace with the rapidly evolving landscape of misinformation and its impact on youth.
Artificial intelligence (AI) technology and Big Data can play a crucial role in fostering critical thinking among young people and mitigating disinformation on online social media platforms in the following ways.
The first and basic way of achieving crucial role of AI technology and big data is by improving educational initiatives. This means, incorporating AI and Big Data topics into educational curricula, educating students about the principles, applications, and ethical issue of these technologies, developing several modules that focus specifically on critical thinking, media literacy, and fact-checking and encourage students to question data sources, evaluate evidence, and identify biases are some issues to be done for educational initiatives improvement.
The other one is deploying AI-driven fact-checking bots that analyze online content for accuracy. These bots can help young users verify information before sharing it. AI algorithms can assess the credibility of news articles, websites, and social media posts. Integrating such tools into platforms can empower users to make informed decisions.
Personalized Learning:
Adaptive Learning Platforms: Use AI to personalize educational content based on individual learning styles and preferences. Tailored learning experiences can enhance critical thinking skills.
Recommendation Systems: Leverage Big Data to recommend high-quality, reliable content to young users. Encourage them to explore diverse perspectives.
Media Literacy Campaigns:
AI-Driven Awareness: Develop AI-powered campaigns that educate young people about disinformation tactics. Highlight how misinformation spreads and provide practical tips for discerning reliable sources.
Interactive Simulations: Create interactive simulations where students can experience the impact of disinformation firsthand. These simulations can enhance their critical thinking abilities.
Collaboration with Social Media Platforms:
Algorithmic Transparency: Encourage platforms to be transparent about their recommendation algorithms. Users, especially young ones, should understand how content is prioritized.
Flagging Disinformation: AI algorithms can automatically flag potentially misleading content. Collaborate with platforms to implement warning labels and context-based notifications.
Ethical AI Education:
Ethics Training: Teach young people about the ethical implications of AI and Big Data. Discuss privacy, bias, and the responsible use of technology.
Empowerment, Not Dependence: Emphasize that AI tools are aids, not replacements for critical thinking. Encourage users to question AI-generated results.
Partnerships and Research:
Collaborate with Researchers: Work with experts in AI, education, and psychology to develop evidence-based strategies.
Longitudinal Studies: Conduct research to understand the long-term impact of AI and Big Data interventions on critical thinking skills.
As a physician, we come across misinformation syndrome very frequently from patients and their caregivers. We may avoid them if we follow evidence based medicine which ia an amalgamation of 3Es i.e. Evidence, Experience and and expectations.
I will be teaching Critical Thinking as a stand-alone full semester course in a BSc in the Fall. I've incorporated AI by requiring learners to evaluate the AI information comparatively to information that is available in other formats (most prominently research and scientific consensus information) for specific topics, including the topic of CT, which is based primarily in self-evaluation of own thinking processes. AI cannot, as far as I know, mimic CT because it requires personal insight. For now this makes AI another thought process challenge for the critical-thinking learner. They are not expected to rely on any information provided to them by AI, as they are not expected to rely on any information provided to them in other formats, until they've evaluated both the information and their thought processes in relation to that information and come to a logical and justifiable position.
Interesting question and replies
The issue of missinformation and the need for development of critical thinking are by no means new issues. They didn't just emerge nowadays for the first time due to AI.
Certainly there should be concern and implementation of relevant activities in learners (such as studying cases of misinformation and how they were dealt with).
I think that online social computer games can affect children and teenagers in both positive and bad ways.
Development of Skills: Playing games frequently calls for cooperation, strategic thinking, and problem-solving. Gamers can improve their mental faculties, inventiveness, and flexibility. Emotional Regulation: Skillfully crafted games provide players the opportunity to feel a variety of emotions and develop coping mechanisms. This has the potential to enhance emotional intelligence. Sense of Achievement: Reaching objectives, leveling up, and finishing tasks in video games can give one a sense of success and enhance their self-confidence.
Imagination and exploration: Games provide virtual environments for players to create, explore, and consider many scenarios. Adverse Effects: Over gaming can result in addiction, which can have a negative impact on social interactions, academic achievement, and physical health. Financial Concerns: Parents and caregivers may get unexpected credit card bills as a result of in-app purchases and loot boxes. It is essential to set up appropriate parental restrictions. Physical Health: Extended gaming sessions can cause headaches, sedentary behavior, and irregular sleep schedules. Education: Playing video games too much may affect academic performance and personal development. Mental Health: Excessive gaming might cause some gamers to develop social isolation, depression, or anxiety.
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