Some of the newer metro trains in DC, have a digital map, that updates to show the next station, and the next few after that. They are positioned in the middle of the train, so are visible from much of the train. The trains, even the older ones, have an automated voice announcement, so there are other ways to figure out where the train is, short of memorizing stops.
Now, I started using this system as a tween. There were announcements, but they were not reliably loud or clear enough in the train car you were on. So I got used to looking out the window at stops and finding the helpfully large signs in the station so I could make sure I hadn't missed my stop. Didn't always work - sometimes I was at a really good part of the book and missed a few stops - but at least meant I usually noticed soon.
One day, I was on one of the newer trains, and I heard an announcement for a stop that I thought we had already been too. And I had that did I go the wrong way panic moment. I looked up at the automated display. And then I looked out the window. And I realized the automated display was three stops behind. So then I just kept reading the signs at each stop.
A few stops later I heard someone behind me say, "Oh the announcement is saying the wrong stop." And the person next to me bolted up and went, "Crap, I missed my stop!" and raced off the train.
Now this is not a don't rely on automated systems rant. This is not even an I am smarter rant. The point I am going for is that this was easy for me to solve, because I didn't grow up with the automated option. I had a backup already.
Whereas people who grew up able to google things, able to rely on the automated announcement, then have to build a backup on the fly when that option fails them.
In retrospect, I wish I had said aloud that the automated announcement was wrong, so that more people on the train would have had more time to correct. It was silly of me to assume everyone else had already solved the problem. And if they had, my announcing still would have hurt nothing.
But as we watch sites that used to be reliable disappear or get taken over by inaccurate AI posts, we will all need to work on sharing our plans for figuring things out.
