Entertainment

Microsoft joins BBC and Angelina Jolie to educate ‘future leaders’ on fake news

An education initiative will run alongside a new programme for young people.
An education initiative will run alongside a new programme for young people. An education initiative will run alongside a new programme for young people.

Microsoft is set to work with the BBC and Angelina Jolie in an educational initiative to combat fake news and educate “future leaders”.

The two corporations are looking to teach children and young teenagers about the pitfalls of modern media and how to cast a critical eye on the news.

Jolie is acting as executive producer on a BBC TV programme running in parallel to the new initiative, which will educate young people on media literacy.

The BBC has said its aim is to develop young people aged between seven and 14 to “become future leaders, innovators, creators and citizens”.

Jolie is producing a 10-episode pilot programme, Our World, which will offer impartial current affairs content for a younger audience. BBC Learning – part of the broadcaster’s outside Studios – is working in partnership with BBC World News and multinational corporation Microsoft to produce a set of learning resources to go along with the show.

Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie Angelina Jolie will produce a current affairs programme for young people (BBC Radio 4 Today/Anna Gordon)

The BBC aims to expand the pilot and the initiative against fake news internationally after beginning with an English-language version.

Jolie said: “All of us who have come together on this project feel a great responsibility towards young people.

“We want to make sure that we are able to put forward a news programme that helps to give them a broad view of the world they live in and the issues they face, and that helps connect them to other children around the world.”

Kara Iaconis, global head of BBC Learning, added: “BBC Learning is focused on delivering the most compelling education initiatives that develop a generation of students to become future leaders, innovators, creators and citizens.

“We are excited to be able to deliver this powerful and free global initiative, in partnership with a technology leader like Microsoft and humanitarian Angelina Jolie, that allows schools to give students the skills they need to navigate a world of unprecedented information.”

Students will be able to access educational materials online for free when it becomes available.