Teacher's 'Fake News' Assignment Goes Wrong, Goes Viral

Benjamin Fearnow of Newsweek wrote:Klein ISD administrators issued a statement Tuesday detailing how students in a digital citizenship curriculum course were tasked with creating a false story in order to show the effect "fake news" has through online media. A screenshot of one student's hoax headline appeared on Snapchat and other social media outlets, blaring a false claim that one administrator had been arrested for dealing cocaine and firearms. Unfortunately for the administrator, the fake story went viral on social media Tuesday

The bogus story about the Klein Oak employee's alleged narcotics arrest appeared "repeatedly online" and was embedded into a legitimate looking news website format. Klein ISD's statement warned district students, "Creating and spreading false and defamatory information about someone is illegal and could result in legal action."

The Klein ISD statement reads in part: "One student created a fake post outside of the scope of the assignment about a Klein Oak employee which has been shared repeatedly online. This post is NOT TRUE...Social media has the ability to connect us in ways we’ve never had before. It is a powerful tool when used for the right reasons. It is just as powerful when used—knowingly or not—irresponsibly. This is the unfortunate power of social media."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/teachers-fake-news-assignment-goes-wrong-goes-viral/ar-BBTSakZ