Information pollution

High school (ages 12+)
Thinking & Learning

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/information-pollution

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the key contributing factors?The internet, social media, and the ease of digital content dissemination
2. What is the societal impact?Erosion of trust, polarization, impaired decision-making, and challenges to collective action
3. Why does information pollution happen?The internet lets anyone share stuff, and there are no strict rules to keep only good information, so bad or unnecessary messages can spread easily.
4. How can information pollution affect our thinking?It can make it hard to focus, cause mental fatigue, and make it tough to know what is true.

Information Ecosystem: The complex network of information sources, channels, and users within a society.
Cognitive Load: The total amount of mental effort being used in the working memory.
Algorithmic Amplification: The process by which algorithms on digital platforms can increase the reach of certain types of content.