Combating the Spread of Social Disinformation

Posted On: November 6, 2025

Spreading deceptive information has become a new social norm–one fueled by emotional triggers and algorithmic amplifications that hijack the brain’s reactive circuits. Young people who lack skills to critically evaluate   information are especially vulnerable to manipulation, deception, and harm– the consequences of reacting instead of thinking.

The Misinformation Crisis is Escalating 

Recent data from the United Nations Children’s Fund and Stanford University researchers identifies misinformation as one of the most pressing issues of  the 21st century. Social media hoaxes, fabricated stories, impostor accounts, deepfakes, and misleading rumors bombard youth daily.

These distortions are amplified not only by celebrities and influencers, but also by trusted family members and friends. AI-generated content blurs the line between fact and fiction with both humans and chatbots spewing made- up statements that can be hard to discern from truth.

BrainWise: Teaching How to Think

Since 1997, BrainWise has provided educators, parents, teens, and children with foundational knowledge of brain development and tools to build neural connections that support critical thinking.

The 10 Wise Ways form a cognitive toolkit that helps learners recognize problems, assess them, and decide what information is fact and what information has no proof to support it. See: Antidote for Fake News Part I and Antidote for Fake News Part II.

BrainWise Aligns with Global Best Practices.

BrainWise core strategies to combat misinformation include:

• • Recognizing emotional triggers to Stop and Think before reacting—Wise Way #3 “Red Flag Warnings”
  • Asking Questions to verify facts using reputable resources—Wise Ways #6 Asking Questions.
  • Staying off the Emotions Elevator or remaining on lower floors when assessing online and offline information—Wise Way #4 Emotions Elevator.

These BrainWise modules align with recommendations from leading institutions including Oxford, MIT, the Carnegie Endowment, Neuroscience News, and the American Psychological Association.

BrainWise expands on these practices with additional strategies:

• • Building a Constellation of Support helps youth identify trustworthy resources.
  • Identifying Choices and Considering the Consequences–including the choice not to act–is essential when separating facts from opinions.
  • All of the Wise Ways connect to Communicate Effectively, empowering youth to use multiple communication methods to counter misinformation and contribute to spreading truth using facts.

Thinking Skills are Teachable–and Urgently Needed.

“Thinking Skills” and “Critical Thinking” are more than umbrella terms for abstract ideals. BrainWise teaches them as the 10 Wise Ways—interrelated, teachable, lessons that deepen students’ ability to assess information, weigh options, and make informed decisions.

To read more about these strategies see: https://conta.cc/3Lfz0Nu

Learn more about the 10 Wise Ways of BrainWise:  BrainWise Program Method – Best Method to Teach Critical Thinking Skills