NY Plans to Teach Students to Spot ‘Conspiracy Theories’, ’Misinformation': Governor

The initiative comes after New York unveiled a plan to spend millions of dollars to expend its existing social media surveillance effort.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul attends a press conference in New York City on July 31, 2023. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

New York Governor Kathy Hochul said Tuesday that the state is planning to develop “media literacy tools” to teach K-12 students how to identify “conspiracy theories” and “misinformation” in the media and online.

The plan is part of the Democrat governor’s new initiative to combat what she called the “ongoing rise in online hate speech” by investing an additional $3 million to expand the state’s Homeland Security and Emergency Services Division.