Media Literacy Minute with Learn21

Some weeks we see little news on the media literacy front. This past week there was so much coming out on media literacy it was hard to pick what we highlighted. I suspect that this may be a new trend as we see generative AI continue to advance, and we move closer to the November election. This week highlights various sectors and disciplines, showcasing how different communities are tackling media literacy and the dissemination of information.

🔍 AI and Public Health Misinformation: Boston University researchers discuss the proliferation of AI-driven misinformation in public health and suggest robust strategies to counteract this trend. The emphasis is on educating the public about AI tools and promoting transparency in information dissemination. Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications notes, “Generative AI tools have handed these bad actors a new arsenal of weapons with deepfake technology.”  This article is worth a read and is a good reminder of the UN’s #TakeCareBeforeYouShare campaigns which can help readers spot disinformation.

🌍 Digital Literacy in Europe: A new report from Improving Digital Empowerment for Active Healthy Living highlights that 40% of people in Europe face significant digital literacy challenges. This gap impacts their ability to navigate digital platforms effectively and poses risks in their day-to-day digital interactions. The report includes a new EU digital Health Literacy Strategy which defines concrete measures required on the micro, meso, and macro levels.  [Healthcare IT News]

🏅 Award-Winning Media Research: Researchers from the Department of Communication and Media at the University of Liverpool have been recognized for their groundbreaking study on strategies to combat misinformation. Their work provides valuable insights into the mechanics of misinformation spread and its mitigation. “Using Fallacy Theory and Human-Computer Interaction, the team developed the chatbots to provide citizens with the means to act as fact-checkers.” To keep users interested, chatbots are “presented in the form of a game with avatars from ancient Greece.” [Science X].

👦 Media Literacy for Youth: WKAR highlights a new media literacy partnership between the Michigan Department of Education and Western Michigan University. The result is Wonder Media, a website “geared toward helping youth navigate social media, news, and online content by building media and news literacy.”  It is a new online resource specifically designed for youth.  These tools focus on interactive learning experiences that engage young minds in critical thinking about media.

🧠 Disinformation Brainstorm: The National Academies facilitated discussions to brainstorm solutions to the growing issue of disinformation. These discussions aimed to unite experts across fields to forge actionable strategies.  Discussant Matthew Groh from Northwestern University noted that “Media literacy is going to need to be extended to include generative AI literacy.” While Sander van der Linden from Cambridge University hit on a key problem with disinformation –  “It’s so difficult to correct misinformation once it’s taken root in people’s minds, that we focus almost entirely on the importance of preventing this from happening in the first place.” You can read the full discussions and ideas at the link above.

📱 Deepfakes in Schools: An alarming trend is emerging with deepfakes targeting students and schools, creating complex challenges for administrators and educators. Addressing this issue calls for heightened awareness and updated media literacy curricula. Deepfakes are a growing problem for schools and student well-being. [Mashable]

For insights on integrating these approaches into your educational programs or for more information, reach out to Learn21 at engagements@learn21.org or explore our resources at bit.ly/medialitlaws.

#MediaLiteracy #Education #DigitalCitizenship #Learn21