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Young people in crisis: 60% cannot recognize fake news!
The Zisch media project will start in Bremen on January 12, 2026 to train students in how to handle information.
Young people in crisis: 60% cannot recognize fake news!
What's going on in Germany's educational landscape? A current evaluation of the PISA 2022 study brings worrying news to light. According to the results, more than half of students in Germany have difficulty recognizing fake news on the Internet. More specifically, 47 percent of 15-year-olds can easily assess the quality of information - a figure that is below the OECD average of 51 percent. While 69 percent of young people in Germany feel confident finding information online, they are less able to evaluate the accuracy of this information. Surprisingly, only just under 60 percent compare different sources, whereas in other OECD countries almost 72 percent do this, reports Weser courier.
A third of teenagers do not even check the accuracy of information before sharing it on social media. This can lead to the uncritical spread of fake news. Samuel Greiff from the Technical University of Munich emphasizes that there is a lot of catching up to do when it comes to dealing with information, especially in today's world when disinformation is omnipresent.
A look at the Zisch initiative
In order to educate young people in Bremen and the surrounding area about this problem and to improve their media skills, the WESER-KURIER media project Zisch is starting. This starts on January 12, 2026 and runs until April 18, 2026. Students from the 3rd grade to vocational and special schools are invited to register. In this project, participants have the opportunity to learn how journalists work, evaluate sources and design their own newspaper page on a topic of their own choosing.
The relevance of this project is underscored by the results of the PISA study: Only just under half of young people feel well advised about their teachers' competence in using digital devices. This is well below the OECD average, which is 70 percent. A circumstance that particularly illustrates the need for initiatives like Zisch.
Critical handling of information
The study participants were not only tested, but personal data and assessments were also collected, which will be published in special evaluations. An astonishing 72 percent of young people in other OECD countries compare multiple sources, while in Germany only 60 percent do so. And the ability to recognize fake news also leaves a lot to be desired: many students have difficulty doing this. The strategies for avoiding disinformation are not yet sufficiently anchored in our country.
After all, almost 70 percent of young people find information on the Internet without any problems. But it remains to be hoped that projects like Zisch will not only strengthen interest in media, but also a critical awareness of what is consumed and shared online. Further details and registration options are available on the website www.zisch-wk.de.