Ok, this is not going to be a well formulated question, because the concerns behind it are nebulous in my own head.
Some assumptions I have, that clearly inform the question that follows: I believe commercial, state, and others have sophisticated methods of influencing what I see on social media and thus, in part, what I think. I also believe that someone more willing to believe in the types of conspiratorial beliefs I’ve just expressed are more likely to be manipulated by information they’re exposed to. And, yes, I fully appreciate the irony of those beliefs.
My child is adult enough that belief patterns I encourage are very unlikely to become deep patterns. That is, I’d have to work to indoctinate my son, and he’d actively resist if my indoctrination was outside of societal norms.
He didn’t grow up exposed to the social media I suspect children do now.
How does a parent inoculate a child to the influence of social media without also creating a mindset willing to believe in a nebulous “them” that controls things—a mindset, I believe, that makes a person more likely to be controlled?
This is an important point - it’s the difference between emphasizing critical thinking skills vs falling into conspiracy theories, or being privacy-conscious vs being paranoid.
I think starting critical thinking with empathy is incredibly important. E.g. “What’s motivating this person to write this?” Are they trying to get clicks, are they trying to move the needle on an issue, are they meeting their word count quota for the day? Are they just lonely or isolated or scared and lashing out because they can’t find affirmation? Or even, are they paid by a foreign state to post controversial things and stir up dissent in another country because it helps their country economically?
There are many possible motivations, but it’s not going to be a big global conspiracy dedicated to manipulating you personally. Understanding a person’s starting point and motivation helps you critically think through their points and decide what you agree or disagree with.