Fake news about the environment: how Brazilien, Colombian, and Mexican science teachers react

Abstract

The dissemination of false scientific information through the Internet and social networks is a serious global phenomenon, generating changes in attitudes and behaviours concerning issues like the environment, public health, and public policies, among others. Teachers play a crucial role in combating misinformation and fostering critical thinking among students, families and society. Understanding how teachers perceive misinformation and establishing validity criteria of information sources is key to improving critical thinking teaching. This study aimed to understand how science teachers perceive fake environmental news in Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico. A questionnaire was applied to a sample of more than 50 science teachers in each country. It asked about social media networking habits and views on three provocative environmental questions: climate change, global warming, and the Amazonia devastation. Teachers mostly disagreed with such provocative questions; however, Brazilians showed less disagreement against those provocative questions. They also tend to deny that Amazonia is being destroyed. Data showed that scientific denialism diffusion was successful in Brazil, even among those responsible for children's scientific education. These Brazilian, Colombian, and Mexican teachers seek scientific information mainly on the Internet and social networks, which may cause fake news vulnerability. Therefore, teachers must have media education to help identify truthful digital information.