Media Literacy and Global Perspectives(2) Week 5

Overt propaganda

Propaganda that is openly displayed and easily recognized, often associated with authoritarian regimes.

Covert propaganda

Hidden or subtle messaging designed to influence public opinion without detection.

Manufactured consent

The process by which media and elites shape public agreement without genuine democratic input.

Disinformation campaign

A coordinated effort to spread false or misleading information for political or strategic gain.

Ballot harvesting

The collection and submission of completed absentee or mail-in ballots by third parties.

Algorithmic control

The use of computer algorithms to filter, promote, or suppress online information.

Shadow banning

A practice where a user’s content is hidden or limited without their knowledge.

Fact-checker

An individual or organization claiming to verify the accuracy of information, often with institutional or ideological bias.

Echo chamber

An environment where people are only exposed to views that reinforce their existing beliefs.

Media ecosystem

The interconnected system of traditional and digital media, tech platforms, and information flows.

Plausible deniability

The ability to deny responsibility due to a lack of direct evidence or visible connection.

Censorship-by-proxy

Suppression of speech or information through private actors like social media companies rather than government edict.

Ideological conformity

The enforcement of uniform beliefs across institutions, often under the guise of objectivity.

Pseudo-event

A staged or exaggerated event designed solely to attract media attention and shape perception.

Selective reporting

The intentional omission or emphasis of certain facts to promote a particular narrative.

Information gatekeeping

Controlling access to information by deciding what is published, promoted, or suppressed.

Credible journalist

A media figure presented as trustworthy, often used ironically in the text to critique bias.

Media embargo

A temporary restriction on the release of information until a set time or condition.

Cinéma vérité

A style of documentary filmmaking that emphasizes natural actions and authentic dialogue, used here to describe unedited video evidence.

Narrative framing

Structuring information to fit a predetermined storyline or ideological perspective.

Partisan censorship

Blocking or limiting information based on political affiliation or bias.

Influencer coordination

The organized use of public figures to amplify or time the release of selected narratives.

Whistleblower

A person who exposes secretive or unethical behavior within an organization, often at personal risk.

Media complicity

The active or passive cooperation of journalists and outlets in promoting biased or false narratives.

Necessary illusions

Misleading ideas propagated to maintain social control while preserving the appearance of freedom.