Third of UK teenagers believe climate change exaggerated, report shows

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🗞️ Driving the news: A report reveals that a third of UK teenagers believe climate change is exaggerated, correlating with a rise in climate denial videos on YouTube
• These videos, primarily targeting young viewers, shift from denying climate change's occurrence to discrediting climate solutions and science.

🔭 The context: The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) analyzed 12,058 YouTube videos, uncovering a trend where 70% of climate denial content now focuses on undermining climate science and solutions
• The study also found a significant link between heavy social media use and increased belief in climate change exaggeration.

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: This trend is concerning for climate action, as misinformation targeting the younger generation could weaken public support and hinder efforts to address climate change. The spread of such denial on popular platforms like YouTube poses a significant challenge to environmental advocacy and education.

⏭️ What's next: The report calls for social media platforms to take responsibility in curbing climate misinformation. It stresses the need for digital platforms to align their policies with their environmental commitments, to prevent monetization and amplification of misleading content.

💬 One quote: "It is hypocritical for social media companies to claim to be green but then monetise and amplify lies about the climate," said Imran Ahmed, chief executive of the CCDH.

📈 One stat: 31% of UK teenagers believe that climate change and its effects are being purposefully overexaggerated.

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