Media literacy: beyond the fight against misinformation

Abstract

Media literacy has during the last years unexpectedly become a topic of discussion among policymakers, who highlight it as essential to tackling the disinformation pandemic. While it is true that digitalization has triggered a growing and increasingly complex wave of manipulated and false content, it is equally true that disinformation is not a new phenomenon. Nor is media literacy, which aims to ensure citizens are equipped to coexist and engage in a highly digital and media-dense context in a healthy and positive way. Promoting critical thinking to filter false content, along with fostering a responsible attitude for constructive civic participation, are among the goals of this literacy. Limiting its scope to a mere defensive strategy undermines a proposal that envisions 21st-century citizens embedded in an information and knowledge society. Furthermore, its pivotal role in safeguarding against the main effect of disinformation —loss of trust— is undoubtedly an added value in these times.