Media and Information Literacy Repository – South Asia

The article discusses the growing importance of privacy literacy in the digital age, particularly the role of libraries and librarians in educating users about protecting their personal information online. Traditionally, libraries focused on safeguarding the privacy of patrons’ records, such as borrowing histories and library usage. However, with the rise of the internet and social media, privacy concerns have expanded to include the creation, sharing, and ownership of digital information.

This paper examines Wikipedia’s participatory governance model as a framework for informing European digital public sphere development. Through analysis of Wikipedia’s two-decade experience with community-driven content moderation, reliable source verification, and decentralized decision-making, the study demonstrates how public-interest platforms can maintain information quality while fostering democratic participation. Drawing on Henry Jenkins’ participatory culture theory, the research shows how Wikipedia’s collaborative editing processes naturally develop users’ media literacy competencies through active engagement rather than passive consumption. The paper analyses Wikipedia’s recent regulatory experiences under the EU Digital Services Act and European Media Freedom Act, highlighting both compliance challenges and opportunities for policy learning. The findings suggest that adapting Wikipedia’s model could inform the design of a European digital public sphere that prioritizes information quality, user empowerment, and democratic discourse over commercial engagement metrics

Conceptualisations of media literacy often include the dimension of the media users’ participation in media regulation or, more general, media governance. In doing so the expectation is stressed, that beyond the ability to participate in media-related communicative practices, literacy would also mean that media users engage in forming the technical, political, and economic conditions for communication processes. However, this aspect seems to be widely neglected when it comes to empirical research on patterns and levels of media literacy. As a consequence, talking about media users as actors of media governance sounds unfamiliar and somehow strange: Media politics and media regulation are rather done for media users and their interests – or sometimes rather against their interests – but almost never by media users. This article proposes a conceptual clarification of the potential roles of the audience and discusses them with regard to concrete instruments that could help to strengthen this aspect of media literacy and thus the role of audiences in media governance.

We conducted a study of Australia’s media content regulation system in the context of three major Federal Government reviews of media law and policy (Australian Law Reform Commission, 2012; Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, 2012; Finkelstein, 2012). The current system understands governance as the work of government and industry, and either minimises or overlooks the role of users, the context of platforms, and the scope of participation. In this article, we assess the weaknesses in the current framework and look both critically and pragmatically at the role users can play in media content governance. By drawing on the Australian situation as a case study, we consider the wider problem of governance within networked media spaces and the tensions between users, algorithms, platforms, industries, and nation states. Finally, we argue for the development of stronger theoretical model of ‘civic media governance’, based on principles of radical pluralism that can better account for dissent and dissonance.

This article discusses the dominant metaphor of infodemic, the role of platforms and their policies. In understanding the spread of Covid-19 misinformation as an informational epidemic, we are led to construct the problem as one of viral spread. Virality, however, has been conceptualised as a key attribute of social media platforms. A tension therefore emerges between to encouraging good virality while limiting bad virality. To examine how platforms have dealt with this , the article analyses the policies of two platforms, Facebook and YouTube, alongside the EU Code of Practice which they have both signed. The analysis reveals that they focus on the circulation of mis/disinformation, developing an apparatus of security around it. This consists of a set of strategies, techno-material tools for the enforcement of the strategies, measures for disciplining users, and procedures for legitimating and re adjusting the whole apparatus. However, this apparatus is not fit for the purpose of addressing mis/disinformation for two reasons: firstly, its primary objective is to sustain the platforms and not to resolve the problem of mis/disinformation; secondly it obscures the question of production of mis/disinformation. Ultimately, addressing mis/disinformation in a comprehensive manner requires a more thorough and critical social inquiry.

It examine the Role of Media Literacy in the Governance Reform Agenda

Amidst the dynamic evolution of digital platforms, governance mechanisms play a pivotal role in shaping their operations and impact. This paper presents a comprehensive literature review on digital platform governance, offering insights into its multifaceted dimensions and contemporary research trends. Through an extensive examination of existing scholarship, this review synthesizes key findings, theoretical frameworks, and empirical methodologies employed in studying digital platform governance. Furthermore, it delineates emerging research outlooks and identifies critical gaps for future investigation. By delving into diverse aspects such as regulatory frameworks, user policies, content moderation, and platform ecosystem dynamics, this paper contributes to a nuanced understanding of digital platform governance. Ultimately, it serves as a roadmap for scholars and practitioners seeking to navigate the complex terrain of digital platform governance and chart new avenues for research and innovation.

The rapid increase in the digital platforms has altered the world economies and introduced innovation, connectivity and economic development. However this growth has also raised advanced governance problems particularly in regards to ensuring that legal and ethical standards are followed. The article is a study on the structures that should be in existence to ensure compliance in the digital platform governance. It examines the existing frameworks and proposes a common manner of establishing a balanced regulatory condition which will be founded on regulatory control, transparency procedures and stakeholder participation. This paper analyses how legal frameworks, technology infrastructure, and organizational policies can interact to promote compliance and inhibit risks related to privacy of information, bias in algorithms, market monopoly and consumer protection. The other factors of compliance that are emphasized in the study and are critical to promoting trust and equity in the digital mediums are auditability, accountability, and user empowerment. In addition, the paper will discuss how the existing technologies can be leveraged to automate the compliance processes, in order to offer real-time monitoring and resolving the issues i.e. artificial intelligence and machine learning. It also defines regulatory fragmentation, jurisdiction and dynamic nature of digital technologies as a matter of concern and provides recommendations on how to create dynamic and flexible structures. These frameworks are very important in balancing between innovation and responsible governance. The article is targeted at educating the policymakers, platform operators, and users concerning how the collaboration and continuous adaptation would enhance the efficiency of the digital platform governance and compliance.

Platform governance scholarship commonly derives the role of the state from its actions as a regulator of platforms: a rule-setter that sets limits and restricts their activities. This article argues that three additional state roles enable and constrain the agency of states to regulate platforms: facilitator, buyer, and producer. Using the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act as a case study, the article asks: How do different state roles in platform governance shape AI’s regulatory geographies? It answers this research question by outlining two policy dilemmas between those four state roles. First, the EU’s ambition to act as a facilitator of digital markets constrains its scope of interventions as a regulator of platforms. Second, the EU’s deficits in acting as a producer of AI infrastructure exacerbate its dependency as a buyer of Big Tech offerings, especially cloud computing services. The article contends that dilemmas between state roles are not anomalies but defining features of stateplatform relations. As generative AI systems gain sophistication, an understanding of how state roles relate to each other helps to navigate their complex governance regimes.

Following a host of high-profile scandals, the political influence of platform companies (the global corporations that that operate online ‘platforms’ such as Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, and many other online services) is slowly being re-evaluated. Amidst growing calls to regulate these companies and make them more democratically accountable, and a host of policy interventions that are actively being pursued in Europe and beyond, a better understanding of how platform practices, policies, and affordances (in effect, how platforms govern) interact with the external political forces trying to shape those practices and policies is needed. Building on digital media and communication scholarship as well as governance literature from political science and international relations, the aim of this article is to map an interdisciplinary research agenda for platform governance, a concept intended to capture the layers of governance relationships structuring interactions between key parties in today’s platform society, including platform companies, users, advertisers, governments, and other political actors.

From the new Facebook ‘Oversight Body’ for content moderation to the ‘Christchurch Call to eliminate terrorism and violent extremism online,’ a growing number of voluntary and non-binding informal governance initiatives have recently been proposed as attractive ways to rein in Facebook, Google, and other platform companies hosting user-generated content. Drawing on the literature on transnational corporate governance, this article reviews a number of informal arrangements governing online content on platforms in Europe, mapping them onto Abbott and Snidal’s (2009) ‘governance triangle’ model. I discuss three key dynamics shaping the success of informal governance arrangements: actor competencies, ‘legitimation politics,’ and inter-actor relationships of power and coercion. Citation & publishing information

The digital revolution has changed the landscape of development. The disruptive nature of the transformation has forced countries and societies to undertake major projects and investments. Coming to understand the underpinnings of this revolution has been, however, a slow and intricate process, particularly in developing nations. Even today, when there is no longer any doubt about ICT’s importance and impact, development policies and initiatives are not always oriented toward addressing major longterm needs.

The United States has the world’s largest national population of Internet users, roughly 170 million people, or 70% of the adult population. However, the deep class and racial inequalities within the U.S. are mirrored in access to cyberspace. This chapter examines the nature of the U.S. digital divide, differentiating between Internet access and usage, using data from 1995 to 2005. Although Internet usage has grown among all sociodemographic groups, substantial differences by income and ethnicity persist. The chapter also examines discrepancies in access to broadband technologies.

The book examines television from a psychological perspective, focusing on how television influences human cognition, emotions, attitudes, and behavior. John Condry analyzes the relationship between television content and viewers, particularly how television affects children, learning, social behavior, and cultural perceptions.

The article explores how television parody can function as a form of media literacy education. It argues that parody, by using humor and entertainment, can help audiences understand how television works—particularly the techniques, conventions, and persuasive strategies used in media texts. The paper focuses on the animated sitcom The Simpsons, which is widely known for its satirical and parodic style. The author suggests that the show acts as an informal media educator by humorously exposing and critiquing the structures and practices of television itself. Through parody, the program highlights how television narratives, advertising strategies, and promotional messages are constructed.

The book examines how different media technologies influence children’s cognitive development, learning, and social behavior. Patricia Greenfield argues that media—such as television, video games, and computers—play an important role in shaping how children think, learn, and interact with the world.

The article investigates the relationship between media and television literacy and critical thinking among prospective teachers. It emphasizes that teachers play an important role in helping students develop media literacy and critical thinking skills, so it is essential that these competencies be cultivated during pre-service teacher education.

The book explores how children understand, interpret, and talk about television, and how these abilities form what the author calls “television literacy.” Rather than viewing children as passive viewers who are simply influenced by television, the book argues that children actively interpret, evaluate, and discuss TV content in sophisticated ways.

The article examines the growing presence of mobile phones in everyday life and debates their role in formal education, particularly in classroom learning. It challenges the traditional view that mobile phones should be excluded from educational spaces and instead argues for a more balanced and nuanced understanding of their educational potential. The author explains that smartphones have become deeply embedded in daily social practices. They function not only as communication devices but also as symbols of social identity and capital, connecting users to the mobile internet and various digital applications. As smartphone ownership has increasingly spread among teenagers, schools have struggled to determine how these devices should be managed within educational settings.

This book explores the use of mobile devices for teaching and learning language and literacies, investigating the ways in which these technologies open up new educational opportunities. It provides a comprehensive exploration of mobile learning (m-learning) and how portable digital technologies can support learning anytime and anywhere, beyond the traditional classroom. It focuses especially on how mobile devices can help develop language skills, digital literacies, and cross-cultural communication in the modern digital society.

The study evaluates the effectiveness of GraphoGame™, a computer-based literacy game, in improving early literacy skills among first-grade students in an African city. Using a randomized intervention design with 573 government school students, the research compares control groups with students who used the game on mobile phones under supervision. Literacy outcomes were assessed through tests measuring orthography, spelling (decoding), vocabulary, and arithmetic. The results show that the game significantly improved spelling skills, which directly relate to the abilities the game is designed to develop. The study also finds that the intervention was most effective when both teachers and students were exposed to the game, and that students’ initial letter knowledge strongly predicted their later progress.

The article examines how vulnerable patients participate in the design of a mobile text-messaging health app using user-centered design methods. It focuses on how limited health literacy, limited English proficiency, and limited digital literacy influence patients’ engagement in the app development process. Through interviews and card-sorting activities with primary care patients, the study identifies barriers that affect their ability to provide feedback on app content. Although many participants owned smartphones and used text messaging, difficulties with reading, typing, and understanding tasks reduced their engagement. The findings highlight the need to adapt design methods when working with populations facing communication and digital literacy barriers, suggesting more supportive approaches.

Media and Information Literacy (MIL) is one of the most important topics in today’s mediatized world. Under the leadership of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), many international organizations in the world, as foreign donors, annually announce many projects and grants for the promotion and development of the field of MIL in the countries of the world. One of the main actors of this movement is DW Akademie with different media and MIL projects several countries of the world. This research paper delves into the role of DW Akademie’s MIL model in shaping a media-savvy generation. The study explores the theoretical underpinnings and practical applications of Deutsche Welle (DW) Akademie’s MIL model, analysing its effectiveness in fostering media literacy skills. The research employs a multi-faceted approach, incorporating case studies to assess the model’s impact across diverse demographics. The paper also considers the model’s alignment with global educational policies and proposes recommendations for its integration into broader frameworks. By investigating DW Akademie’s MIL model, this research contributes to the ongoing discourse on media literacy education, providing valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and researchers. The findings offer a nuanced understanding of the model’s position in cultivating a media-savvy generation poised to navigate the complexities of the information age.

It examine relationship between MIL, Intercultural Dialogue, and Global Citizenship

The ongoing digitalization poses new challenges for schools concerning students’ digital skills. In this context, the International Computer and Information Literacy Study (IEA-ICILS 2018) has identified substantial social disparities concerning computer and information literacy of grade 8 students. Furthermore, it has been observed that many schools, especially those located in socioeconomically challenged areas, are particularly engaged in supporting students’ digital literacy and innovatively designing learning processes with information and communications technology (ICT). Empirical studies have made it apparent that some schools have high average achievements concerning domains such as reading literacy and mathematics in spite of socioeconomically challenged student bodies. These schools are regarded as being organizationally resilient. This contribution focusses on these organizationally resilient schools with regard to the domain of computer and information literacy. It aims to investigate how these schools can be classified as a typology according to selected school and/or teacher characteristics.