In today’s digital age, we have access to a never-ending onslaught of information. Media literacy, the ability to analyze, evaluate, and create media in various forms, empowers everyday people to navigate the abundant and chaotic landscape of advertisements, social media, and 24-hour news cycle. Three reasons media literacy is important. One, enables us to make informed decisions about the world around us. Two, protect us from misinformation and disinformation. Three, promotes critical thinking and civic engagement. Media literacy allows us to discern fact from fiction, recognize bias, and avoid being emotionally manipulated. Suppose I’m looking for a new luggage set and go online to read reviews. In that case, I can build my media literacy by looking across multiple pages and determining if the brand paid the authors to write the review. We often worry that others will fall prey to misinformation but don’t consider ourselves vulnerable.

Misinformation spreads the quickest when it sparks an emotional response. If I notice that a post from my aunt makes me feel outraged, I should take a moment to understand why instead of letting my emotions dictate my next action. I can also fact-check the information from reputable sources. Media literacy also plays a key role in maintaining a healthy democracy. Accurate information is necessary for everyday people to make informed decisions before voting or being civically engaged. By thinking about the motives behind shared and consuming information from multiple sources, I can continue to strengthen my media literacy skills. Inaccurate, incomplete, or even manipulated information is everywhere. However, we can learn how to identify misleading and false information and recognize when our actions are being manipulated by emotionally evocative content. Fortunately, media literacy skills are well within our grasp and can help us confidently move through the world.

Kayleigh Stiles

Manchester