Social media has had a significant impact on adolescents since its creation. The influence of media continues to be a growing concern as the age at which children access technology becomes increasingly lower – with “more than one-third of parents with a child under 12 say their child began interacting with a smartphone before the age of 5,” according to the Pew Research Center.
While there are many benefits to engaging with social media, such as breaking down physical barriers to social interactions, there are also negative contents, particularly mis- and disinformation, that bring potential harm. A 2024 study by the News Literacy Project revealed that 82% of teens struggle to differentiate news from advertisements, opinions, and entertainment. Moreover, eight in 10 respondents said they are likely to believe at least one of the conspiracy theories they encountered on social media.
This is, unfortunately, unsustainable if we aim to foster respectful public discourse.
Compared to other countries, the Pew Research Center found that the majority of Americans perceive social media as a bad impact for our democracy. The same study also found 79% of them believe “the internet and social media have made people more divided in their political opinions,” and 69% claim that “the internet and social media have made people less civil in how they talk about politics.” The rapid spread of false information online blurs the distinction between fact and fiction, eventually leading to division among the public.
As digital media use continues to be prevalent, a way to combat mis/disinformation is through improving our media literacy skills.
Media literacy is “the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and act using all forms of communication,” according to the National Association for Media Literacy Education. Media literacy should be taught to everyone but is particularly essential for students to learn in order to prevent the biased influence of the media from an earlier age.
Media literacy can be taught in schools, where students learn how to fact check articles, sources, and videos. They should be motivated to ask questions of the information they encounter on social media when engaging with it, including who the author is, whether the source is credible or biased, and whether the information is true or false. Encouraging curiosity in students may help them further develop their critical thinking skills and become adept at recognizing different perspectives.
Media literacy is crucial to reduce the influence of false information on social media and the polarizing effect of echo chambers. Not only does this skill equip students to be able to discuss challenging topics in the classrooms, but it also prepares them to engage civically as they transition to the workforce, the voting booth, and the broader society.