Who knows best? Test your digital literacy skills with these 4 challenges
Try these four fun challenges that build critical thinking skills and help kids understand how online content finds them.
At a glance
- Help kids build digital literacy skills by asking why certain posts, videos, headlines and recommendations show up in their feeds.
- Talk about how emotions, trust and familiarity can shape what people choose to believe — and why a favorite creator may feel credible.
- Help kids understand that some content is amplified because someone paid for it to reach more people.
Why did that LinkedIn post show up first? Why is that news influencer the first one you see? Do we really know how the news and information we see every day finds us?
That’s a question Jaime Spencer, COO of media research firm Magid, has been researching a lot lately. And as you might suspect, the posts and updates you see are being shaped by a complex mix of algorithms, AI tools, influencers and marketing dollars.
The problem, Spencer explains, is that “the information people receive is increasingly being chosen for them. And families need to question not just what they’re reading, but how it found them.”
This fun family digital literacy challenge can help parents and kids build needed critical thinking and digital literacy skills while exploring how news, algorithms and AI shape the information we all see every day.
Challenge No. 1: Why did that post show up?
Try it when: Someone in the family says, “That’s weird. I was just talking about that.”
AI is increasingly driving discovery, and it’s often operating in the background of the platforms we use every day. In Magid’s research, more people are now getting news from AI-powered experiences, and many may not even realize how often algorithms are deciding what appears in front of them.
The challenge:
The next time a news story, video or recommendation appears in a feed, stop before scrolling.
Ask:
- Why do we think this showed up?
- Did we search for it?
- Did someone share it?
- Has the algorithm learned this is something we usually engage with?
The goal isn’t to find the right answer. It’s simply to become more aware of how information arrives.
Challenge No. 2: Does this inform me or reassure me?
Try it when: A family member says, “I like this person because they just make sense.”
One of the most surprising findings in Magid’s study was that consumers increasingly value sources that feel reassuring to them or that reinforce their point of view on a particular situation. People are often looking for information that helps them feel better about the world they’re dealing with every day.
The challenge:
Pick a current event everyone has heard about.
Ask:
- Where did we hear about it?
- How did that source make us feel?
- Did it challenge our thinking? Or did it reinforce what we already believed?
Conversations like these help children practice critical thinking skills by recognizing how emotions, familiarity and personal beliefs can influence the information they trust.
Challenge No. 3: How do I know if something online is true?
Try it when: Your child quotes an influencer, podcast host or creator.
Spencer notes that many people now get information through personalities they trust. For some, news consumption means listening to a favorite podcast host or watching a familiar face explain current events.
The challenge:
Ask:
- What do you like about this person?
- What makes them feel trustworthy?
- Is it their expertise or their personality?
This isn’t about questioning whether someone is right or wrong. It’s about recognizing how trust gets built.
Challenge No. 4: Can you spot a sponsored ad?
Try it when: You see a sponsored post, advertisement or creator partnership.
Magid’s research found that business incentives continue to play a major role in the information people receive. News organizations, creators and platforms all rely on different forms of advertisement and monetization.
The challenge:
The next time you encounter a popular creator or source of information, ask:
- How do they make money?
- What keeps people coming back?
- What kind of content gets the most views, shares or engagement?
Building digital literacy skills doesn’t require a classroom. Small family conversations about news, social media and online recommendations can help strengthen critical thinking skills over time. The point isn’t to be cynical. It’s to understand the systems that help information spread.
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