Truth Between Lies

How can we strengthen media literacy amidst dis-, mal-, and mis- information?

Recognizing Truth Between Lies

YUAN GASPAR

Have you ever been scrolling through social media and suddenly come across a piece of news that sparked your curiosity and interest? Has it ever sounded too good to be true? Well in most cases—it's just bogus.

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A lot of people today who use social media aren't knowledgeable about whether or not the piece of information they see online is the truth or not, this should change. The solution to this issue is an important skill in surfing online which is media literacy a tool wherein it is the ability to access, analyze and act upon pieces of information found online. Media literacy isn't just a skill; it's a shield against misinformation and a compass in a sea of biased narratives. In today's world, it's essential for critical thinking, informed decisions, and a shared understanding of reality.

Many individuals on social media today lack the capacity to distinguish truth from fact online. Causing already prevalent false information to spread even more due to the ignorance and negligence of users. As stated in a research conducted by experts, “64% of adults believe fake news stories cause a great deal of confusion and 23% said they had shared fabricated political stories themselves – sometimes by mistake and sometimes intentionally.”

This highlights the importance of media literacy among users as it serves as security to people who use or rely on social media as a primary source of information and it is an important skill that must be learned especially for this generation that spends most of their time consuming content online. Through media literacy, users will attain the ability to think critically regarding content and news found online. In this way false information will not spread and cause more misinformation online since users will be more mindful about sharing misleading content. Along this, it also allow users to build media awareness allowing them to evaluate and analyze media content and news rather than passively consuming content.

With media literacy being an established skill that is crucial for users it should be given that everyone is knowledgable about this skill, although this is not the case. Not everyone has access to the proper resources to educate themselves on media literacy and there are marginalized communities that lack opportunities to develop these crucial skills. Because of this it creates a barrier between users who are knowledgeable with media literacy and those who are not. And even in some cases for users who have access to the resources needed they lack the proficiency to navigate online platforms to their own advantage.

In conclusion, media literacy is an important skill in combating dis-, mal-, and mis- information as it gives protection to its users and it promotes critical thinking regarding the consumption of media. Although it is a crucial skill users should be knowledgeable about, it is not easily attained as it requires resources and education which some people do not have access to. The aim is to create an environment online wherein users are better consumers of information and where they are more informed on making choices online.

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