Pupils have been referencing Hollywood sci-fi movies and social media influencers opinions as facts in their work, teachers have revealed.
Critical thinking and media literacy are now seen as essential skills for young people, yet many schools lack the resources to teach them, according to new research with teachers, commissioned for BBC Bitesize.
Over half of teachers say they need more support to help pupils identify misinformation, as teens increasingly struggle to separate fact from fiction online, a challenge linked to rising anxiety levels.
To bridge this gap, BBC Bitesize is launching Solve the Story, a six-part media literacy series designed to equip students, teachers, and schools with practical tools to tackle misinformation and disinformation. Premiering in schools on 5 January 2026, the series forms part of the Bitesize Other Side of the Storyinitiative and will help teenagers question what they see online, verify sources, spot fakes, and understand how misleading narratives spread.
The roll-out comes amid mounting evidence that young people are struggling to manage the sheer scale and sophistication of online content. According to research commissioned by the BBC involving more than 400 teachers, critical thinking is now considered the single most important skill for young people, yet one in three teachers say it is difficult to teach, citing lack of time, resources and curriculum pressure.
More than half of the teachers who took part in the research said they need more support in helping pupils recognise misinformation, and that media literacy is not covered well enough in the current curriculum. Teachers also warn that students are already “outpacing adults” online, with the rate of digital change widening the skills gap in the classroom. The research also suggests that parents echoed this concern, as many felt their own digital skills were already outdated.
For young people, the effect of misinformation reaches far beyond the classroom as the impact is emotional as well as educational. New findings from this year’s Bitesize Teen Summit with Radio 5 Live suggests that two thirds of teenagers worry about fake news and online misinformation, causing confusion and contributing to rising levels of stress and anxiety.
Patricia Hidalgo, Director of BBC Children’s and Education, said: “In today’s digital landscape, media literacy isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. Solve The Story will help schools to equip young people with the critical thinking tools they need to navigate online content confidently, verify what they see, and protect their mental well-being. This series is a vital next step towards empowering students and supporting educators in tackling misinformation, as we take Other Side of the Story into classrooms.”
Available to schools and on the BBC Bitesize website, Solve the Story uses a six-part mystery series in which characters must apply media literacy skills to uncover the truth, by analysing sources, questioning assumptions, identifying deepfakes, challenging viral claims and spotting bias. Each episode is paired with a “how-to” guide offering clear, practical steps for teachers and resources for classroom use.
Hundreds of schools up and down the country have already signed up to take part in the January launch, signalling strong demand for classroom-ready tools to help pupils navigate online misinformation. The first episode will be shown in schools on 6 January, with new episodes released weekly until the finale event in February.
Solve the Story is the first content series created for schools from Bitesize Other Side of the Story, which was launched in 2021 to help students navigate the online world and be more critical of the information they consume. Bitesize Other Side of the Story provides articles, videos, quizzes and other resources and workshops in secondary schools to help students be more curious about the news and information they see and share online. It also equips them with the tools to create content responsibly, stay safe online and avoid scams, be more aware of different types of media, think more critically and become more positive digital citizens.
The BBC commissioner for Solve the Story is Andrew Swanson.
The video content can be found www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/groups/c4gqzw1kxn6t and Other Side of the Story can be found www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/groups/c0rx3447znvt
TEACHER CASE STUDY
Amy, English Teacher, Manchester
“CRIMINALS USE THAT KIND OF MISINFORMATION TO LURE VULNERABLE KIDS IN BY SHOWING THEM A GLAMOROUS LIFESTYLE”
Amy, an English teacher at a secondary school in Manchester, sees first-hand how quickly misinformation online shapes what her students believe. One of the most alarming examples is how many genuinely think glamorous “prison freestyle” videos on social media are accurate depictions of real life.
“They really believe that’s what prison is like,” she says. “The videos make it look easy or exciting. Criminals use that kind of misinformation to lure vulnerable kids in by showing them a glamorous lifestyle and telling them crime can get them there. That’s what scares me the most.”
But the prison clips are just one part of a much bigger issue. Amy says many of her pupils are convinced they’re “too smart” to be tricked by anything online.
“They’ll laugh at obviously fake AI videos and say, ‘that’s so AI’, but underneath that is a belief that they can’t be fooled. If I tell them something isn’t real, they argue back. They think teachers don’t understand technology, and they automatically trust what they see online more than what we tell them.”
She has seen conspiracy theories spill directly into schoolwork.
“We’ve had essays referencing ‘the matrix’ and huge conspiracy theories, because they’ve come from influencers like Andrew Tate. Those opinions really appeal to them because they’re presented as ‘facts’. It’s frightening how quickly those ideas embed.”
Challenging this isn’t always straightforward.
“Teenagers don’t want to believe anything that contradicts what they’ve seen on TikTok or YouTube. Sometimes they push back so hard that it becomes something we pick up with safeguarding, simply because it needs a wider team around it. Mentors and form tutors help us challenge the misinformation as a team.”
Social pressures add another layer.
“Their friendship groups feel like they span the whole internet, so the biggest fear is embarrassment. Anything taken out of context can spread quickly, and at our school the fear of parents seeing them do something they shouldn’t is huge. The consequences feel enormous to them.”
Amy says traditional critical-thinking lessons aren’t enough on their own.
“We teach those skills in English, but once they’re at home, school doesn’t exist. They need practical tools that match the world they’re actually living in.”
That’s why she believes Solve the Story could make a real difference.
“They love short-form content, and this format suits their attention span. If teachers show it to them, it will help them stop and question things instead of just accepting whatever they scroll past. They won’t look for it themselves, so teacher buy-in is essential, but once it’s in front of them, it will click.”
Amy sees media literacy as part of her duty of care.
“Some understand the problem, so they can’t push back on what their children are watching. It falls to us to teach them how to protect themselves. They need these skills more than ever.”
