Education Education about fake news in SBB's rolling classroom

Young people should learn to distinguish between fake news and facts in a fun way. This is the aim of the new offer on the SBB school train. At the opening, Media Minister Albert Rösti said that the Federal Council is aiming to regulate communication platforms.

Pupils should be sensitized to follow social media critically, said Federal Councillor Rösti on Tuesday in Brugg AG at the inauguration of the new service on the SBB school and adventure train. Media literacy among young people is extremely important.

The Federal Council wants to play its part in this, Rösti stated. Platforms such as Facebook, YouTube and X should be regulated as far as necessary. In future, he said, there should be a simplified reporting system if someone comes across fake news or completely false representations. Hate comments should also be made a punishable offense.

According to Rösti, the Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) will soon submit a proposal to the Federal Council. In April 2023, the Federal Council instructed the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications to draw up a consultation draft on the regulation of communication platforms.

In collaboration with the SRG

The topic of fake news, i.e. targeted misinformation and disinformation, is the focus of the new and fifth carriage of the SBB school and adventure train. The interactive information transfer in the rolling classroom was created in collaboration with SRG.

SRG must not only provide accurate and balanced information, it must also help the public and young people in particular to find their way in the digital world, said SRG Director General Gilles Marchand. In collaboration with SBB, a unique place of learning has been created.

SBB CEO Vincent Ducrot was also proud of the offer in the school and adventure train. This is aimed at schoolchildren from the age of 10. More than 17,000 school classes have visited the train since 2003. It is available at 12 to 15 locations throughout Switzerland every year.