Media and Information Literacy Repository – South Asia

Entertainment narratives can substantially influence perceptions of stigmatized groups like people with disabilities. However, existing measures of exposure have not been implemented simultaneously to understand distinctions between self-reported exposure to specific titles of disability-related content and perceived frequency of exposure to disability-related content. In an online survey (N = 347), participants who reported seeing more titles had fewer negative attitudes toward and a decreased need to social distance from disabled people. However, participants who perceived more frequent exposure to disabled characters had lower satisfaction with disabled characters being played by people with those disabilities. This study has implications for communication scholar-activists addressing power inequities in society through supporting the empowerment and resilience of marginalized people like those with disabilities.

This paper serves as a comprehensive report on the need for and barriers to news literacy education in the United States. Current misinformation issues in the U.S. are introduced and the importance of news literacy among citizens of a democracy. Answers to these questions are sought: What are the current challenges regarding news literacy in the digital age and what are the implications? Further, can news literacy be taught? Based on measured practices, what are the best methods for news literacy education? Existing literature covers the topics of information disorder and news literacy, highlighting the importance of news literacy in informing citizens. Several factors challenge widespread news literacy, such as the overwhelming amount of information users are met with each day and the echo chambers on social media they operate in. Several existing news literacy curricula are outlined and their effectiveness in teaching students how to sort fact from fiction in digital news sources using critical thinking activities are evaluated. After demonstrating the need for news literacy among U.S. readers in the digital era and discussing existing news literacy pedagogy, I hold news literacy initiatives are but one solution in the complex fight against misinformation, and their success in educating students to access veracity is difficult to measure.

Disability representation in art and media plays an important role in shaping societal perceptions and values about disabled individuals. This paper examines the evolution of disability portrayals across various art forms and media platforms, from historical depictions rooted in stereotypes to modern, inclusive narratives. It highlights challenges such as “inspiration porn” and other reductive tropes while celebrating emerging examples of authentic and intersectional representations. Furthermore, it investigates how art and media can challenge societal norms, promote empathy, and contribute to the empowerment of disabled communities. Through critical analysis, the study emphasizes the need for nuanced portrayals that honor the diversity and complexity of disabled identities.

This paper analyses the major modifications created by the “social turn” i.e. the emergence of social media. It presents the drastic change of ecosystem created by the three “continents” of the Internet. This sets up the context of deployment for “information disorders” such as radicalisation and disinformation. The analysis then considers the risks and opportunities for Media and Information Literacy: on the one hand, the rise of fact-checking and the increasing interference of social media platforms; on the other hand, the augmentation of the Media and Information Literacy epistemology and the Media and Information Literacy paradigm shift entailed by information disorders. It concludes on an agenda for Media and Information Literacy in 21st century

The Paralympics is globally the largest and most significant sporting event that takes place for athletes with a disability. The 2020 Tokyo Games was heralded as significant in its extensive media coverage that served to promote the disability athletic movement, breaking all broadcasting viewing records from the number of broadcasters, viewers, and a number of events provided live. In the past, however, media reporting of the Paralympic Games has not been without controversy. Stereotypical representations of disability, for example, have often been cited). These involve representations such as framing disability as something to be overcome; where athletes ‘participate’ rather than ‘compete’; and for those with adaptive technology, being portrayed as ‘cyborgs’, rather than as competitive athletes. This article has been driven by the curiosity to determine if media depictions of Paralympic athletes have improved over time. We wished to explore the current representations of the print and television coverage in Australia of the 2020 Tokyo games. Our research found that media coverage did, for the most part, provide coverage of events where Paralympians were represented as athletes first and their disability second. Despite this positive outcome, stereotypes prevailed in both print and television reporting. These included minimalising a person's disability, often to the point of making the disability invisible; focussing on overcoming tragedy; using inspirational language to position athletes as advocates for the disability; the use of patronising language; and the positioning of athletes as needing to be grateful. We conclude that whilst the media in Australia has made significant steps towards representing Paralympians as elite athletes, continued attention and primary focus needs to be given to the athlete’s first narrative.

This article presents a systematic meta-review of the scientific literature discussing the concepts of information literacy, media literacy, and digital literacy. While carrying out a cross analysis of the way in which literature reviews specifically address these three concepts, this article identifies, and articulates a critical analysis of, the main findings from the reviewed texts regarding the conceptual landscape that they cover. This work highlights confusion between the constitutive dimensions of literacies, recurrent difficulties in establishing theoretical articulations between contributions, and operationalization problems in observing and assessing these literacies. These issues are the subject of a discussion grounded in the specific field of media education.

This essay critically interrogates how mainstream media constructs and perpetuates binary conceptions of gender, focusing on the broader cultural and societal consequences of these representations. Drawing on queer theory and critical cultural studies, it critiques how entrenched media narratives have historically reinforced rigid gender categories while marginalizing nonbinary and gender-fluid identities. Through selected case studies in film, television, and advertising, the analysis reveals both progressive efforts and persistent barriers in portraying gender diversity. While some texts offer meaningful departures from traditional gender constructs, many continue to exhibit superficial inclusivity or reinforce stereotypes. The essay argues for a paradigm shift in media practices, advocating for inclusive storytelling, restructuring creative leadership to amplify diverse voices, and promoting critical media literacy. Reimagining gender beyond the binary is not only a scholarly concern, but a necessary social imperative for fostering equity, visibility, and dignity for all identities.

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of cooperative model two stay-two stray assisted by digital literacy to improve student’s metacognitive at MTs Muhammadiyah Sukarame Bandarlampung. The research conducted was quasi-experiment research with a non-equivalent control-group design. The method used was quantitative and the sampling technique used was the saturated sampling technique. The sample in this study was class VIII U1 as the experimental class that received the treatment of Two-Stay-Two-Stray assisted by digital literacy and class VIII U2 as the control class that was treated using the Group Investigation model. The results of this study revealed that the average metacognitive ability of the experimental class was 73,04 and the control class was 67,56. Based on the result of the t-test, Two Stay-Two Strays assisted by digital literacy affects the students’ metacognitive ability with the results of tobserved = 3,17 and tcritical = 1,66 which indicated that H1 is accepted. Thus, the Two Stay-Two Strays cooperative model assisted by digital literacy affected the metacognitive ability of MTs Muhammadiyah Sukarame Bandarlampung students. Increased metacognitive abilities affected the improvement of students’ learning outcomes.

The new media environment, through multitudinous entanglements with processes of digitization and commodification, has contributed to the formation of extreme distrust in media and institutions in advanced democracies, and fluctuations in trust relations worldwide, according to Pew Research and Gallup polling. Resulting from threats of fake news, the overabundance of information, and intentional misguidance by bad actors, individuals find it increasingly difficult to evaluate information and make informed decisions. Ideally, in democracies, institutions help foster trust between citizens and information sources by encouraging trustworthy institutions that are responsible to citizens, since trust is so fundamental to a functional democracy. This paper draws a link between trust, which is crucial to democracy, and media and information literacy (MIL), which empowers democratic principles, to suggest how the implicit reciprocity and negotiability of trust relations can be seized to advance democratization through a media and information literacy policy framework. Using the UNESCO Media and Information Literacy Policy and Strategy Guideline as a reference, this paper builds an approach to show how, through the negotiability of trust, MIL and the democratizing principle of civic agency might be concurrently advanced and mutually reinforcing by educating a citizenry more literate about media and information systems and generating democratic institutional change concurrent with greater trust between actors.

This study explores the portrayal of women on social media and its implications for gender representation, empowerment, and social work practice. It investigates how digital platforms simultaneously perpetuate stereotypes and foster spaces for resistance and advocacy. Using qualitative content analysis, data were collected from Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok to examine recurring themes in visual and textual portrayals of women. The analysis identified four dominant categories— body image, gender stereotypes, empowerment, and activism—revealing the paradox of social media as both a site of self-objectification and a medium for feminist expression. Findings indicate that while idealized portrayals reinforce unrealistic beauty standards and psychological strain, movements such as #MeToo and #BodyPositivity redefine empowerment and visibility in digital spaces. The study further highlights how intersectionality and algorithmic bias which influence women’s voices are amplified or silenced online, emphasizing the persistence of structural inequalities within digital environments. Integrating social work and media literacy emerges as a transformative approach to fostering critical awareness, resilience, and ethical engagement. Overall, the research contributes to feminist digital scholarship by illuminating the complex interplay between empowerment, inequality, and representation, urging policymakers, educators, and practitioners to promote inclusive, equitable, and socially conscious media practices that advance gender justice in the digital age.

This paper is a segment of a larger dissertation exploring the impact of digital media literacy (DML) skills on the accuracy of truth discernment. The purpose of this paper is to offer broader access to the findings and contribute to the discussions of disinformation, focusing on the significance of the accuracy of truth discernment in politics and law. As earlier studies have examined, the influx of disinformation in the digital age was a pressing global security threat, spreading rapidly through social media platforms. Disinformation, consisting of the deliberate spread of falsehoods, causing chaos and confusion eroded trust in media and government, driving citizens to believe falsehoods to be true, particularly in the absence of DML to discern the reliability of information. This study supports earlier research, revealing that simplifying access to credible information empowers individuals to retrieve trustworthy sources. The qualitative content analysis conducted in this study shows that DML skills shape truth-seeking behaviors, finding high correlations between DML skills and informed political participation. The findings of this research delineate the theoretical mechanisms of how DML skills empower individuals to engage in civil society by synthesizing themes described by scholars within the top 100 cited sample studies selected. Future researchers can assess the theoretical mechanisms outlined in this study to determine their effectiveness by implementing training programs to develop foundations for informed decision-making, political participation, and responsible sharing behavior.

There is a desideratum in the research about the interdependencies of inclusive education and media education. Digital media can facilitate individualized and cooperative learning. Additionally, digital media can be used to promote inclusion. However, which factors influence the acquisition of media and information literacy in inclusive education? Comparative international studies, e.g., the International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS), show how social challenges, such as participation and handling heterogeneity at school, can be addressed through media. In numerous studies, it becomes apparent that German teachers do not sufficiently see the potential of digital media, especially for the improvement of learning opportunities for individuals with diverse learning requirements. German teachers are not well able to apply digital media appropriately in their lessons. Teachers need to be qualified and to design modern education with accessible media. In Germany, the ratio between available computers and pupils (1:4) is far better than the rate between teaching with and without computers. According to the teacher’s reports, only 9% of teachers are using digital media daily. Approximately 40% use digital media seldom or never. It seems that the cause is a skeptical attitude towards media among teachers, especially in humanities. That may result from missing didactical competences regarding digital media. The idea of Technical Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) and extending that explanatory model for teachers’ competencies on the inclusive practices builds the theoretical background for the design of joint seminars by the Research Center Youth-Media-Education as part of the Faculty for Cultural Studies and the Research Cluster Technology for Inclusion and Participation at the University of Dortmund. Prospective teachers should become familiar with this way of collaboration. Already for four years now, a teaching team from these two departments designs collaborative lectures. Inclusive teaching and learning in different contexts are practiced in tutorials with practical approaches as well. In tandems, the students develop a learning situation at school or extracurricular institutions. Afterward, they present it. The presentation focuses on the concept, its teaching and learning conditions, and competence orientation as well as opportunities and limitations.

With the overabundance of information available now, Information Literacy skills are essential for today‘s learners. Rooted in the field of Librarianship, Information Literacy encourages critical thinking – finding information, evaluating sources and forming opinions. The ability to evaluate information is imperative for all citizens but is of particular importance to students studying to be media professionals; these students will be the journalists of the future and will fill the roles of gatekeepers and arbitrators of forthcoming civic discourse. In the current era of fake news and misinformation, Information Literacy has a role to play within Journalism Education in Ireland. This dissertation examined six higher education institutions in Ireland who offer Honours BA in Journalism, Broadcasting and Media Studies and explored to what extent Information Literacy is being taught. It looked at the role of the academic librarian and the interaction between Journalism Faculties and their respective library. It discusses the overlaps of journalism and librarianship and the current discourses taking place in both subject fields regarding the proliferation of fake news within media today. It further examined the various initiatives taking place nationally and internationally in the area of media literacy and Metaliteracy. It found many similarities and overlaps in the current discourses from librarians and journalists with regard to fake news and general agreement that critical thinking and evaluation skills of students needed to improve to combat the rise of fake news. This research established that, there is poor communication and a low level of awareness of Information Literacy and other services offered by academic libraries within some Journalism and Media Faculties. It further found that journalism faculties perceive Information Literacy to be part of their remit as educators but often use different terms such as media literacy, fact-checking and verification skills. It identified an openness to the notion of a collaboration of librarians and journalism educators in formulating a bespoke Information Literacy module which can be embedded into journalism programmes, in an effort to raise the standard of future journalism.

The fight against rampant disinformation has triggered two major answers: fact-checking and news literacy. These affect the established fields of journalism and of Media and Information Literacy (MIL). They create opportunities for new entrants from the margins to enter professional fields in need of revamping. Using information and communication sciences research on policy and organizations and on the interplay between agency, platforms and networks, this analysis focuses on three main criteria for evaluating the field-configuring role of disinformation: policy rules and professional canons (to regain some lost political and economic ground), key events and projects (to provide sense-making strategies), and interactions with audiences and communities (to restore trust and reputation). Focusing on the European Union as main terrain of analysis due to its pioneering initiatives, this analysis first considers the mutual benefits afforded by the fight against disinformation. Then considers three main challenges: MIL risks being reduced to news literacy, digital journalism risks being reduced to fact-checking, and the disinformation discourse risks downscaling the emphasis on information. It concludes with the implications for the future for all actors to effect real field change in MIL and journalism.

An integrative literature review was conducted according to Coopers’ guidelines in order to critique and integrate issues over the convergence among imaginative/Waldorf pedagogy, social-emotional learning and media literacy mindfulness in Primary and Secondary education. A comprehensive analysis of theoretical and empirical articles between 2005 and 2019 was provided. Three research questions were set, discussed and analysed highlighting the followinggaps in the literature: (i) the combination of imagination pedagogies with digital media and social-emotional development is neglected, (ii) there is a lack of longitudinal studies to analyse how social-emotional skills contribute to forming critical media literacy according to student’s developmental stage, (iii) there is urgent need for reconceptualizing media literacy by encompassing and analysing its effects on cognitive, social-emotional and motivational skills development. We provide a framework presenting four perspectives, theoretical, developmental, pedagogical and social, supporting the relationship among imaginative pedagogy, media literacyand social-emotional skills.

YouTube is popular among early adolescents who engage with the platform, in part, to explore and express their identity. Yet very little is known about the ways in which early adolescents approach representation and identity expression on YouTube with a critical lens. This qualitative study details an in-school media literacy program conducted with a sample of 54 sixth graders (ages 11 and 12) from a public elementary school in New England, USA, on the topic of gender and media. Data stem from a homework assignment in which students are asked to observe and analyze gender expression and representation on YouTube. The findings show a range of interpretations of the people and content encountered on the site, including interpretations characterized as gender-stereotypical as well as counter-stereotypical by the students. Some comments from students speak directly to the implications of user-generated content for gender expression and representation.

This paper provides research findings to support the case for media literacy as an aid to journalists and journalism educators in a disruptive age through the fostering of resilient media engagement by young citizens. It posits that encouraging media literacy in news consuming publics facilitates a more critically engaged civic society. Focused on trust, it shares the outcomes of a project funded by the US Embassy in London, which brought together leading researchers from the United States and UK with a range of key stakeholders, including journalists. Their collective aim: to devise a practical strategy for harnessing media literacy to develop young people’s understanding of and ability to withstand ‘fake news’.

Enhancing digital literacy has become a national priority in Indonesia; however, university students still demonstrate limited critical competencies in analyzing, comparing, and evaluating digital information. This study aims to examine how a blended learning model fosters critical digital media literacy within communication education. This research employed a qualitative approach using a best practice case study design focusing on high-achieving students. Data were collected through classroom observations, reflective assignments, and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) involving 29 participants, and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that blended learning facilitates students’ analytical reasoning, cross-platform comparative assessment, and systematic information evaluation. Students demonstrated strong abilities in verifying information credibility, identifying media bias, and reflecting on their own critical thinking processes. This study concludes that blended learning functions as an effective pedagogical space for cultivating higher-order critical digital media literacy competencies in communication students.

Social norms, including gender-related ones, are created and propagated in large part by the media. The media frequently perpetuates traditional gender roles and stereotypes, influencing public attitudes and actions, from TV series and commercials to movies and social media sites. This study examines the ways in which various media contribute to the creation, maintenance, and sporadic disruption of gender norms and stereotypes. It looks at the representational trends, historical background, and sociological and psychological impacts on viewers, particularly kids and teenagers. The study assesses new media trends that contradict conventional gender representations and suggests methods for advancing gender-sensitive media.

Children and youth are living today in a multi-device, multi-platform, multi-channel world, and school children are more affected by different means of media. The current study aims to investigate the effectiveness of the media literacy activities in developing the learning dimensions of the third-grade students in the light of the vision of Egypt 2030? After the application of the study tools on an experimental sample of (40) children in the third-grade primary, the results showed that the use of the activities of the school media literacy to the dimensions of learning in the light of Egypt's vision led to the improvement of the following learning skills "procedural skills and professional skills, Skills of co-existence and cooperation with others. In addition of improving the following sub-skills (Introduce new and unique ideas – problems solving Respect for opinion and other opinion - Define clear goals - Respect diversity - Selfexpression - Verbal communication - Negotiation and good inquiry - Distinguish between similarities and differences).

The representation of gender in news media significantly influences societal perceptions and reinforces or challenges existing stereotypes. This study employs a critical discourse analysis (CDA) approach to examine the linguistic and structural strategies used in media narratives to frame gender roles. By analyzing news reports from diverse global media outlets, the research identifies patterns in language, imagery, and thematic focus that shape public discourse on gender. The study explores how dominant ideologies are perpetuated through journalistic choices, particularly in the portrayal of women, non-binary individuals, and men in various sociopolitical contexts. Findings suggest that gendered framings often reflect historical inequalities, reinforcing traditional roles and limiting inclusivity. Women are frequently depicted in relation to family, appearance, or victimhood, while men are commonly portrayed as authoritative figures. Meanwhile, non-binary identities remain marginalized or are represented in a tokenistic manner. The study also examines the intersectionality of gender with other social categories, such as race, class, and nationality, to highlight the complexity of media representation. Additionally, the research evaluates the role of digital media in either reinforcing or challenging traditional gender narratives. By critically analyzing media discourse, this paper contributes to the growing scholarship on media, gender studies, and discourse analysis, providing insights into the need for more equitable representation in journalism. The study concludes by advocating for journalistic reforms that promote balanced and diverse portrayals of gender in the media landscape.

Infodemics, often including rumors, stigma, and conspiracy theories, have been common during the COVID-19 pandemic. Monitoring social media data has been identified as the best method for tracking rumors in real time and as a possible way to dispel misinformation and reduce stigma. However, the detection, assessment, and response to rumors, stigma, and conspiracy theories in real time are a challenge. Therefore, we followed and examined COVID-19–related rumors, stigma, and conspiracy theories circulating on online platforms, including fact-checking agency websites, Facebook, Twitter, and online newspapers, and their impacts on public health. Information was extracted between December 31, 2019 and April 5, 2020, and descriptively analyzed. We performed a content analysis of the news articles to compare and contrast data collected from other sources. We identified 2,311 reports of rumors, stigma, and conspiracy theories in 25 languages from 87 countries. Claims were related to illness, transmission and mortality (24%), control measures (21%), treatment and cure (19%), cause of disease including the origin (15%), violence (1%), and miscellaneous (20%). Of the 2,276 reports for which text ratings were available, 1,856 claims were false (82%). Misinformation fueled by rumors, stigma, and conspiracy theories can have potentially serious implications on the individual and community if prioritized over evidence-based guidelines. Health agencies must track misinformation associated with the COVID-19 in real time, and engage local communities and government stakeholders to debunk misinformation.

There has been much interest in studying diversity in recent years. In fact, it has gained a pivotal space not only in academia and policy discourses but also in the governmental, non-governmental and the private sectors. The work carried out by scholars like Phillips (2005, 2008), Yuval‐Davis (2006b), Siim (2009), Faist (2009), Salzbrunn (2012), Vertovec (2012), and among others suggest that there are several reasons that led to the growing interest in diversity. Yet the most important role has been played by identity-oriented feminist movements who successfully raised the issues of African American women, LGBTIQ communities, aging populations, and people with disabilities. This discourse started around the late 1950s and early 1960s. Whilst social processes of differences and diversification have been discussed in academia for a long time back. It was only around 1978 when the term ‘diversity’ explicitly came to public attention in the US in relation to forming affirmative action against racial discrimination (Büharmann, 2014). Moreover, in the last quarter of the twentieth century, with the rise of liberal political processes, globalised economic opportunities, and then transnationalisation of social and civil rights, feminist movements started to include post-colonial and migration studies and the interest on diversity increased. Likewise, the expansion of social networks, driven by digitalised information contributed further to diversity campaigns helping better organise and advance at national, regional and global levels. These campaigns aimed at ending discrimination based on gender, class, sexuality, faith, race, age, nationalities and various forms of disabilities. An analysis of academic work from the last half of the century clearly indicates that diversity debates have gradually expanded in Europe and North America and contributed to many social movements in Africa, Asia, and other parts of the world. Some examples are the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, indigenous movement in South America, post-colonial indigenous/Adivasi and Dalit movements in India, Dalit, Janajati and ethnic and indigenous rights movements in Nepal particularly after the political change of 1990.

The current study shifts the focus of research on media’s role in facilitating and inhibiting self-stereotyping among the members of stigmatized groups. More specifically, this study proposes and tests a conceptual model explaining (un)intentional effects of a real-world anti-ageism social media campaign among stereotyped targets: Older workers. Drawing on an experiment among older Dutch adults (N = 649), we test the effects of two message strategies for reducing prejudice: the media-literacy and the counter stereotypical information strategy. The results show that exposure to content warnings as well as strong counter-stereotypical message (i.e., consisting of positive exemplars and the negation of generic age stereotypes) is powerful in inhibiting implicit stereotype endorsement, ultimately boosting favourable employability perceptions of older workers. By integrating insights from the parasocial content hypothesis and stereotype threat indications, we provide a nuanced understanding of how anti-bias campaigns impact stigmatized targets, and isolate reasons for the varied effectiveness of such interventions.

Objectives. To understand how Twitter bots and trolls (“bots”) promote online health content. Methods. We compared bots’ to average users’ rates of vaccine-relevant messages, which we collected online from July 2014 through September 2017. We estimated the likelihood that users were bots, comparing proportions of polarized and antivaccine tweets across user types. We conducted a content analysis of a Twitter hashtag associated with Russian troll activity. Results. Compared with average users, Russian trolls (χ2(1) = 102.0; P < .001), sophisticated bots (χ2(1) = 28.6; P < .001), and “content polluters” (χ2(1) = 7.0; P < .001) tweeted about vaccination at higher rates. Whereas content polluters posted more antivaccine content (χ2(1) = 11.18; P < .001), Russian trolls amplified both sides. Unidentifiable accounts were more polarized (χ2(1) = 12.1; P < .001) and antivaccine (χ2(1) = 35.9; P < .001). Analysis of the Russian troll hashtag showed that its messages were more political and divisive. Conclusions. Whereas bots that spread malware and unsolicited content disseminated antivaccine messages, Russian trolls promoted discord. Accounts masquerading as legitimate users create false equivalency, eroding public consensus on vaccination.