When we interact with media on the internet, be it news, images or video content, most people are not going to think about whether the information they receive is accurate.
It could be anything related to an ongoing global issue or even celebrities and the entertainment field, 90% of the people engaging with that content will not think twice about whether it’s true or not.
With the rise of social media activism, mobile journalism, and common citizens receiving daily news from most online sources, it’s important to have the ability to differentiate from the truth and plain misinformation.
This is where the importance of critical thinking skills comes in, in the current digital landscape where more and more young people are engaging with content that may not be appropriate for their level, it’s essential to know how and what you are engaging with and to have the ability to critically analyze whatever information you are digesting.
Digital media literacy means one can access, investigate and use digital media. This includes everything from knowing how to find credible information online to being able to communicate using digital media.
It allows an individual to learn how to engage with social media in a way that does not bring harm to them and others they share the information with.
Experts recommend having digital media literacy courses in schools so young people can develop thinking skills from an early age, this would also aid in curbing the amount of misinformation being circulated online.
It’s been noted that digital media literacy was not a priority in the Government of India’s National Education Policy 2022, which has been regarded as a missed opportunity by most.
Since the pandemic started, the number of people staying online has increased rapidly, and this has led to a lot of users being ‘terminally online’ a term used for a person that practically lives on the internet, is always online and doesn’t really participate in real-life activities.
This makes a lot of people unable to cope with real-world problems, or react appropriately to real-world issues, one way to help people ease out of this behaviour is to teach them how to distance themselves from everything on the internet, and that comes as a part of learning digital media literacy.
Published By – Vanshu Mehra
Edited By – Subbuthai Padma
