Good to know
- Without skills in media literacy, we can end up believing things online that turn out not to be true.
- This can lead to us telling friends, family and others about news that never happened.
- It’s important if you see a news story online and its not from a reputable source to fact check.
Media literacy is typically associated with the skills needed to critically analyse, evaluate and create factually correct media.
These days media literacy is an invaluable skill that can be used to evaluate reliability of information online and it’s become even more essential with the fact it’s easier to access AI technology which can allow anyone to create deceptive media.
Is Media Literacy Really That Important?
Yes. Misinformation is a constant and growing problem, particularly online.
As mentioned the development in digital technology means that it is easy for anyone to create and publish media that deceptively includes their own biases to sway their audience into believing what they want without the facts. This is why it is so important we develop our skills to make an informed critical analysis of what we see or read.
Without these skills, we are all at risk of being influenced by misinformation and disinformation, which can distort our understanding of issues around politics, health, or even just what your favourite celebrity has done or said!
What Do I Need To Learn Then?
An important place to start is whenever you’re reading or seeing something online consider the following:
- Check the source of the information – Does it come from a reliable source such as a well established news outlet?
- Consider if the information seems biased – Is the story taking a side, rather than giving you the unbiased facts?
- Fact-check! – Just because someone says something online it doesn’t mean it’s true, even if they’re your friend. Do your own research and see if multiple reliable news sources are saying the same thing.
Why don’t you try habit stacking? It’s all about attaching a small new habit to something you already do automatically, so the next time you’re looking for information online or scrolling through your socials, simply stack one of the steps above onto that moment and let the habit grow naturally.
Most importantly try not to spread misinformation yourself! Whether you hear it from a friend, family member, or online, do your own research to make sure you the information you hear is fact checked.
If you find out something you’ve hear or read isn’t true you can:
- Politely let your friend or family member know – This stops the spread of misinformation and you are doing so in a respectful way.
- Leave a comment online – Go back to the video or post you seen and politely explain why the information they’re saying is wrong. If trolls try to make fun of you don’t worry! At the same time be careful about engaging with trolls who don’t want to hear your opinion and may be trying to ‘ragebait’ you.