The internet is full of misinformation, and convincing someone not to believe everything they see online can be really challenging—especially when that someone is a family member. A 15-year-old boy is caught in this exact struggle with his mom, who often falls for fake stories, AI-generated images, and internet hoaxes she sees on Facebook. Whenever he tries to gently correct her or explain that something isn’t real, she gets upset and tells him to stop.

For example, a few days ago, she excitedly told him that Scream 7 was being released next year. While she was actually right about that, he was skeptical because of the production delays the film had faced. When he checked for proof and questioned her, she got annoyed. The real breaking point came recently when his mom, who works at a school, believed some kids there when they said the show Squid Game was real, not just a TV series.

The boy tried to show her the truth, explaining that Squid Game is fiction, but she stubbornly refused to listen. Frustrated that she wouldn’t even trust her own son because “she’s the parent,” he ended up arguing with her and calling her dumb. Now, he’s unsure if he crossed a line and wonders whether he was wrong to yell or insult her, even if he feels fed up with her believing everything she hears online.

This story sparked a lot of discussion online. Many people say that while it’s frustrating, trying to change someone’s deeply held beliefs—especially a parent’s—is often a losing battle. Sometimes, it’s better to pick your battles and learn to let things go. Others pointed out that patience and gentle conversations might work better in the long run. If you found this story interesting, you might also like the one about a mom who struggled to support her kids while applying for government benefits but ended up landing her dream job.