This article is guided by the question of what digital competencies are needed to deal with disinformation strategies in social media and how these competencies can be embedded in the discourse on (media) pedagogy. It considers this question from the perspective of the digital condition and addresses the current competency debate by proposing a synergetic linkage of critical media competencies and data competencies. On this basis, it explores the relationship between learning opportunities, digital infrastructures, and the resilience of our democracies. The article concludes by discussing our “Synergistic Literacy Model Against Disinformation” in terms of its advantages and relevance for future literacy concepts, solutions to broader societal problems, and the resilience of democracies.
This study investigated the effect of media and information literacy (MIL) on the ability to identify fake news, disinformation and misinformation, and sharing intentions. The experimental approach was selected to study both the control group and experimental group made up of a total of 187 respondents. Comparative analysis of the two groups revealed that although more respondents in the experimental group were able to identify the inauthenticity of information presented to them, some of the respondents in the control group were also able to do the same, even though they did not receive MIL training. Conversely, some respondents in the experimental group, even though they were trained in MIL, could not determine the inauthenticity of information, possibly because the one-off training given to them did not allow them to assimilate all the information in one sitting. Nonetheless, the results of the bivariate correlation computation showed that MIL trained respondents were more likely to determine authenticity or otherwise of information and less likely to share inaccurate stories. This means that when MIL increases, sharing of fake news decreases. This is yet another evidence that MIL enables information consumers to make informed judgments about quality information. It is recommended that MIL is incorporated into mainstream educational modules andconsistently revised to reflect the demands of the times. MIL programs must also con-sider how to effectively reach those without formal education. Actors within the information, communications, and media ecology must contribute to their quota in making information consumers more discerning with the right MIL sensitisation.
The study examines the role of emotion in news consumption, arguing that traditional news literacy education’s focus on facts and verification is no longer sufficient. It explores how emotion and emotion-analytics technologies shape the spread and impact of fake news in digital environments.
The article examines news literacy needs in K–12 education in the context of growing concerns about fake news. Drawing on the perspectives of in-service teachers and school librarians in California, it assesses students’ perceived news literacy skills.
The article addresses the growing concern over fake news and its threat to democracy and journalism in the contemporary media environment. It situates this problem within the emerging field of news literacy, arguing for the need to reconceptualize fake news both theoretically and practically.
The study focuses on strengthening the assessment of news literacy in response to growing concerns about fake news, misinformation, and changing digital news consumption practices. It aims to update existing news literacy measurement tools by introducing two new scales: the Headline Literacy Scale and the Hard News Standards Knowledge Scale.
The study examines which factors encourage early adolescents (12–15 years) to apply news literacy in practice, rather than merely possess it. The findings show that motivation, skills, and valuing (news) media literacy are more important than production knowledge, and that news consumption and news literacy application are strongly interconnected.
The article examines teenagers’ understanding of news and their news consumption practices. It explores how teens define news, encounter it—largely incidentally through social media or parents—and perceive its relevance to their lives.
This article investigates news literacy among early adolescents by foregrounding their own views and experiences with news. It shows that while adolescents recognize the importance of reliable news, their engagement remains mostly passive and weakly critical.
This research investigated the impact of media and information literacy (MIL) on education faculty students’ acquisition of the skills needed to detect fake news. A one-group experimental design was employed with a randomly selected sample of 100 Jordanian undergraduate students. The participants completed one pre-test and two post-tests, each of which consisted of 10 closed-ended questions and one open-ended question on how to detect fake news. The results indicated that studying MIL has an impact on students’ acquisition of the skills needed to detect fake news. The findings also suggested that the methods students employed to identify and detect fake news after studying the MIL course were scientific and well-reasoned. Based on the results, several recommendations are made that will be of value to researchers and workers in this field.