The First Minister of Scotland recently announced that a gathering of Scottish society is set to be convened to work together and unite against the “increasingly extreme far right”, in the pursuit of agreeing a common approach to upholding democratic values.
This is necessary, and education has a pivotal role to play. Recent research tells us that children and young people are exposed to a proliferation of online extremism, hate and disinformation on the social media platforms that they access. Despite this, some of those very platforms have begun removing vital fact-checking services while others have stripped back the moderation functions that intended to maintain civility and keep users safe.
Recent research tells us that children and young people are exposed to a proliferation of online extremism, hate and disinformation on the social media platforms that they access.
Online experiences
This has an impact on schools, where the content that pupils access online very often makes its way into the classroom. The National Discussion on Education Final Report, published by the Scottish Government in 2023, noted concern about the role of online platforms in spreading hate, with a perceived increase in misogynistic behaviours being reported in school settings.
As a charity working to counter homophobia, biphobia and transphobia through well considered education initiatives, we recognised that the manifestation of prejudice was changing and it appeared to be influenced by what pupils were encountering online.
The pupils we worked with were worried about the "normalisation" and "minimisation" of online hate, where harmful content is reduced to jokes or trolling.
Throughout 2024, we led focus groups with over 200 pupils between S3 and S6 across Scotland. They shared their experiences with the extreme hate that they saw online, particularly misogyny, homophobia, and racism. They could speak openly about being unable to identify disinformation, and many of them had encountered harmful prejudicial conspiracy narratives that seek to divide communities and stoke tension.
The pupils we worked with were worried about the "normalisation" and "minimisation" of online hate, where harmful content is reduced to jokes or trolling. This not only desensitises young people to prejudice but also contributes to an increase in prejudice-based bullying in schools.
New education initiative
For the last year, we have been working in collaboration with the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) and their action workstream lead in Germany on the development of a new education initiative designed to support schools to get ahead of these very issues. Combining our respective expertise in anti-prejudice education and counter-extremism strategies, we have now launched the ‘Digital Discourse Initiative’ - a critical new resource for schools and education settings in Scotland.
It is imperative that teachers and school staff are equipped with the tools they need to ensure that children and young people growing up in our increasingly digitised society can do so safely and critically.
This includes a free online professional learning module to help teachers and school staff counter online hate, identify disinformation, and support the development of critical thinking and digital media literacy. The course, developed with experts, covers social media, disinformation, and online hate. It provides evidence-based strategies for schools to address these issues, including core considerations for the development of a modern and relatable curriculum, and how teachers and school staff can respond to prejudicial narratives when they encounter them. It also includes a detailed case analysis on radical misogyny and the so-called ‘manosphere’ from Zero Tolerance.
Role of education
At a time when experts are warning that disinformation and polarisation threaten the democracy that we value, education becomes an essential defence.
It is imperative that teachers and school staff are equipped with the tools they need to ensure that children and young people growing up in our increasingly digitised society can do so safely and critically. This is exactly what the ‘Digital Discourse Initiative’ provides.
