Before you hand over keys to the internet…
You wouldn’t give kids keys to a car without first giving them driving lessons, so why are we letting kids access the internet and social media without first providing them with media literacy education?
Like reading or math, media literacy is a learned skill that requires practice. The ability to navigate within our complex and ever-changing media landscape depends on acquiring skills and tools to know how to consume and evaluate information, ask critical questions, avoid manipulation, and engage in digital spaces safely and confidently. Unfortunately, these skills are not widely taught to our young people – yet.
You can help get media literacy education into more classrooms!
Who wants media literacy education? Students, teachers, parents – everyone wants to see media literacy in the classroom. But barriers remain. Media Literacy Now is working to find solutions. We are supporting teachers, training advocates, educating policymakers, and building a movement so that media literacy is widely understood and accepted as an essential element in K-12 public schools. We are making change. Join us!
Is media literacy education required in your state?
Media literacy is literacy and an overwhelming majority – 84% – of people want media literacy education to be required in schools. However, only 21 states have taken legislative action to elevate K-12 media literacy education.
To learn if media literacy education is required in your state, check out our annual Media Literacy Policy Report.
What is media literacy?
What do you think of when you hear “media literacy?” Often the term “media literacy” is conflated or used synonymously with “news literacy” or “information literacy.” And while media literacy certainly helps with our ability to consume information and be mindful of news bias or misleading information, media literacy is so much broader.
