This letter features reporting from "Russian-Linked Cybercampaigns Put a Bull’s-Eye on France. Their Focus? The Olympics and Elections" by Laurie Hinnant
Dear Mayor Eric Johnson,
Bedbugs took over Paris subways during the Olympics this summer—or so Russia wanted us to think.
In “Russian-Linked Cybercampaigns Put a Bull’s-Eye on France. Their Focus? The Olympics and Elections," author Lori Hinnant explains how Russia targeted France with disinformation campaigns in the months leading up to the Paris Olympics. This effort was not limited to bedbug stories—it was a broader attempt to “erode faith in the media and democratic governments” as well as to “cultivate an anticipation of violence.” I personally saw false claims about Paris and France spread widely across social media.
Similar attention will soon be focused on our local community during the upcoming World Cup. Nine World Cup matches, including a semi-final, will be played right here in Dallas in 2026, with millions of fans expected to visit our city. While this influx of tourism is undoubtedly positive, we should also be aware of the negative consequences of such publicity. Specifically, we can learn from Paris and take preemptive educational measures against possible disinformation campaigns, a crucial step in protecting residents as well as those who will visit our city.
As the mayor of Dallas, I think you are uniquely positioned to introduce media literacy education into local school curricula. According to a Gallup poll, teenagers spend on average over 4.5 hours on social media each day, where they are exposed to a variety of claims. Disinformation is a systemic issue; people are naturally drawn to surprising claims, making false stories more appealing and likely to be shared. In fact, according to a study by MIT researchers, false news stories are 70% more likely to be reposted than true stories on X (formerly Twitter). Since we cannot cut off disinformation at the source, the most effective thing we can do is promote cognitive resilience, the ability to recognize and reject disinformation.
According to a national survey, 84% of adults support required media literacy education. Currently, Texas requires a training program for administrators and teachers that includes media literacy, but no similar program exists yet for Texas students. In other parts of the country such as Florida and California, media literacy has recently been integrated into standard classes. I encourage you to support the implementation of a similar model, where media literacy is integrated into the curriculum, here in Dallas.
As Dallas becomes an increasingly important city on the world stage, it is imperative that we equip our local youth with the skills they will need to navigate the modern technological landscape. I urge you to fight for media literacy in schools not only to protect our city from disinformation, but also to prepare our students for the rest of their lives.
Sincerely,
Katie Ma

Katie Ma is a high school sophomore from Dallas, Texas. She writes for her school’s newspaper and political magazine and enjoys learning about global issues. In her free time, she likes to read, watch Marvel shows, play softball, and solve puzzles.
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