Lesson plan: How to spot manipulated media, from 'cheap fakes' to misleading photos

Materials

• Lesson outline
• Projector
• Student handout
• Computers and internet connection
• Background reading
  • How misinformers exploit TikTok’s audio features to spread fake war footage in Ukraine
  • Reuters’ online learning module about “manipulated media”
  • Real v. fake debunking slowed down Nancy Pelosi footage

Activator  (5 minutes)

@mediawise

We knew there was something off about #Dumpy the frog. 🤔💭🐸 Have you seen a cheap fake before? Here’s what to do if you see one and want to check if it’s real before reposting. #medialiteracy #tiktokforgood #tiktokpartner #cheapfake #deepfake #misinformation

♬ 80’s quiet and dreamy synth pop – Gloveity

• Explain that readily available editing technology has made manipulated media easy to produce and has become a source of misinformation. 
• Play the MediaWise TikTok that fact-checks a post about a giant pet frog and ask students to list the process the fact-checker used to identify the video as manipulated on their student handout. (If TikTok is blocked at your school, you can watch the video here.)
  • The MediaWise fact-checker used the keyword search “USER NAME POST TOPIC” to track down an article linked to another article to identify it as a “cheap fake.”
  • Seems harmless, right? 
    • Ask students why this TikTok user would want you to share this as misinformation intentionally or unintentionally.
      • The TikTok user wants to get likes and potentially $$$.
      • You want to get likes.
• Ask students to list the ways one could identify a manipulated video.

Acquisition (20 – 25 minutes)

@tofology

♬ original sound – Abbie Richards

• Cheap fake — Media manipulated by cheap, easy-to-use software.
• Manipulated media — Review the five types with this Reuters online learning module about “manipulated media” with students as they note the definitions and share the examples.
  • Lost context — The content itself is authentic, and it has not been edited or fabricated, so it is not truly “manipulated.” However, it is presented with information that does not represent what is seen in the photograph or video.
  • Edited media — Video clips edited with no attempt to be a faithful representation of events, or that have important aspects changed in order to present an alternative reality.
  • Staged media — The situation depicted has been pre-planned or selectively filmed. This may not be for malicious reasons; however, the video may then be shared as though real.
  • Computer-generated media — Images generated by computer software that requires a high degree of skill in order to create realistic-looking results.
  • Synthetic media — Also known as “deep fake” media, synthetic media uses creative, realistic computer-generated imagery combined with the speed of computer algorithms (artificial intelligence).
• Explain there are many fake videos posted on TikTok using the sounds of sirens, explosions, or gunfire to get donations. Show students this TikTok posted by misinformation fact-checker Abbie Richards demonstrating a cheap fake example from Feb. 25, 2022. See How misinformers exploit TikTok’s audio features to spread fake war footage in Ukraine.
• Discussion questions:
  • What type of manipulated media is this?
  • How did Richards identify this as a cheap fake?
    • See the user pausing the recorded video.
    • Check the comments.
    • How else it could be identified as a “cheap fake”?
  • What is the potential harm?
    • The user is using a tragic situation to steal donations.
    • You may share something like this thinking you are helping people.
    • Creates distrust and decreases aid to those who really need it.
• Watch this explainer TikTok from Abbie Richardson from Feb. 25, 2022, that highlights the harm of sharing posts with misinformation even if they seem to be helpful. (If TikTok is blocked at your school, you can watch the video here.)
• Ask students to note the harm even seemingly well-intentioned posts can cause on their handouts while watching the video.
  • People in Ukraine deserve an actual depiction of what’s going on.
    • They need to know where there is actually danger.
    • Russians might post inaccurate information to cause surrender.
    • Grifters could be using it to get views and steal money.

Application (20 – 25 minutes)

• Explain that altered media is also used during an election cycle to spread misinformation about political opponents.
• Watch the MediaWise fact-check video about the Fetterman – Oz race in Pennsylvania and how both candidates were victims to cheap fakes.
• Ask students to track what type of manipulated media each example shows and how it was identified as manipulated on their handouts
  • “NO” Photo of “OZ” sign – reverse image search
  • Fetterman struggling with speech – “fetterman women full speech pennsylvania” Google search or reverse image search of a screenshot of the speech.
  • Three ways to identify manipulated media
    • Does the voice sound whiny or more distorted than a normal human’s?
    • Does the cadence and timing sound the way a person would normally speak?
    • Can you find a video from the same event from a reputable source so that you can compare the two?

Assessment (5 minutes)

Ticket Out The Door – List and Describe

• List at least one new thing you learned today. 
• Describe how it will help you be more aware of misinformation on social media in a full sentence.

Extension and Refining Activity

• Students can work through Reuter’s online learning module about “manipulated media”  and explore the five types of manipulated media.

Additional Resources

• MediaWise “Is this legit?” series
• How to combat political misinformation from PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs
• Fact-checking lesson for Student Journalists
• Misinformation overload interviews from PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs
• StoryMaker Media Literacy Learning
• Reuters Media Literacy Contest
• 10 Tips to spot media misinformation
• Journalism in Action, a history of journalism in the U.S., including political satire, from PBS NewsHour Classroom

---

MediaWise is a digital media literacy initiative of the Poynter Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization. Now in over 170 middle and high schools, PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs (SRL) is a national youth journalism program that trains teenagers across the country to produce stories that highlight the achievements and challenges today’s youth face.