From swatting calls to deepfake audio recordings, schools are facing a new challenge in combatting false information online.
Barbara M. Hunter, APR
Executive Director, National School Public Relations Association
This fall, schools around the country experienced a surge of swatting incidents. Callers who made false claims about dangerous situations or emergencies happening on school grounds led to countless lockdowns, large-scale police responses, and in some cases, widespread panic. Despite efforts of local authorities and district leaders to investigate and dispel rumors, misinformation can be tough to quash, causing fear and disruption for students, parents, and educators.
The spread of false information isn’t new. However, what is new is the speed at which false information can spread. Today’s digital landscape is unprecedented, with misinformation and hoaxes not only impacting schools but also compromising the safety and well-being of students and the community. From cyberbullying to dangerous online trends, false information can mislead families, disrupt classroom learning, and make it difficult for all stakeholders to navigate the digital ecosystem safely.
Navigating a landscape of falsity
In a recent survey conducted by the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA), nearly all of our members — who are school communication professionals across the United States and Canada — consider the spread of false information a problem for school districts (96%), up from 81% since the association’s last survey on the topic in 2020. Even more concerning, 76% say it erodes confidence in school district leaders.
That was the case for the principal of a Maryland high school who went viral last year for all the wrong reasons. An anonymous email was sent to three teachers with an audio file attached that sounded like the principal making racist remarks about colleagues and students. This quickly snowballed into the recording being forwarded to others, sent to media outlets, and posted to Instagram. The principal denied the recording’s authenticity, but its contents sparked outrage in the community and led to the principal being placed on administrative leave while an investigation was conducted.
In the end, it was revealed that the principal was right: The recording was a deepfake created by a disgruntled employee using generative artificial intelligence.
So how can parents, students, and the community navigate the digital landscape to ensure they’re accessing accurate information about their child’s school?
- Use official communication channels as a trusted source of information. Families can feel confident that a school or district’s website, newsletters, and emails are providing the most accurate information. Many schools also leverage secure apps to push out timely messaging to mobile phones. Subscribing to these app alerts can help ensure you aren’t missing something important from your child’s school.
- Attend school meetings. Schools host periodic meetings to keep parents, families, and students up-to-date and informed on the latest happenings. It’s also a place where attendees can ask questions or get clarification directly from school leaders.
- Proceed with caution on social media. In the NSPRA survey, respondents ranked Facebook (91%) as the top channel for false information spread in their school communities. Be sure you’re following the school or district’s official social media pages (often linked on their websites) for accurate information. Don’t rely on secondhand information posted elsewhere on social media.
While there are no simple solutions, critically evaluating what you read and learning more about media literacy are great ways to start protecting yourself from misinformation. Questioning the source, cross-referencing facts, and understanding how to spot bias or manipulation can help you make more informed decisions. Teaching these skills to children will help them do the same.
