Introduction to Media and Information Literacy

Media and Information Literacy involves necessary skills that let a person interact using different media platforms and get access to information around the globe. These should be learned because we are now living in the information age when the media have a significant role in our society towards disseminating information, connecting people, and acting as an agent of change in our society.

A. Communication and Media Information

Communication is affected by media and information because of the advancement of technology and the availability of different communication services. These allow us to have access to fast and easy forms of communication through the use of different media platforms and social media sites like Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and Twitter, among others. However, this form of communication may have a negative effect on people in terms of personal relationships that may be strained by the over-reliance on social media which are fertile grounds for fake news and hoaxes Therefore, we should always be mindful of taking advantage of the use of communication technology in appropriate ways. We must keep in mind the principle of “Think before you click”

B. Media Literacy, Information Literacy, and Technology Literacy.

Media literacy highlights the capacity of an individual to understand the functions of media and determine the relevant use and worth of media platforms. This means that an individual knows how to use or manage media accounts or media platforms. Meanwhile, information literacy is the communication or acquisition of data or facts that relate to the use of media information. This involves a careful and thoughtful way of gathering information legally, avoiding such pitfalls as violating intellectual property rights and plagiarism. Technology literacy, on the other hand, is the skill of an individual to manipulate technology independently or with the assistance of others in using the technology in an efficient and suitable way. These skills are needed to access knowledge and communicate information in a legal and ethical manner. Information and media literacy enable people to become responsible users and producers of media and information.

C. Responsible Use of Media and Information

Certainly, media and information literacy is an essential skill that we need to develop for us to take advantage of the use and benefits of technology in modern society while avoiding its pitfalls. Here are some tips for the responsible use of media and information.

Ensure personal information safety – Do not display or give away your personal
information on your social media account. When you are using applications and
websites, read first the “terms of use”. It’s wise to take a close look and read all the
sections thoroughly.
Get permission – When posting videos or pictures of other people on your social
media account, do not forget to ask for the owner's approval and of the people who
appeared in the video or picture.
Think before you click – When posting or sharing on social media, think first if the
information you are going to post or share is accurate, helpful, informative, nice, and
kind to others. Avoid posting or sharing inappropriate, uncomfortable, or rude
insights on your account.
Keep your password safe – Keep an eye on your account; do not let others know
your password. Update your password often to avoid your account from being hacked
or used by a poser.
Spread positivity – Share positive and uplifting posts with your friends. As much as possible, avoid negativity and hate in your account because what you post on social media becomes a reflection of yourself.

Literacy

The ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute, using printed and written materials associated with varying contexts. Literacy involves a continuum of learning, wherein individuals are able to achieve their goals, develop their knowledge and potential, and participate fully in their community and wider society.

Media and Information Literacy

MIL stands for media and information literacy and refers to the essential competencies and skills that allow citizens to engage with media and other information providers effectively and develop critical thinking and life-long learning skills to socialize and become active citizens.

Media Literacy

The ability to decode, analyze, evaluate, and produce communication in a variety of forms.

Technology (Digital) Literacy

The ability to use digital technology, communication tools or networks to locate, evaluate, use, and create information. It also refers to the ability to understand and use information in multiple formats from a wide range of sources when it is presented via computers and to a person’s ability to perform tasks effectively in a digital environment. Digital literacy includes the ability to read and interpret media, reproduce data and images through digital manipulation, and evaluate and apply new knowledge gained from digital environments.

Key Concepts of MIL

All media messages are constructed

Messages, as products of media, are created by sources who deliberately or unconsciously choose the quality and quantity of content they wish to send or disseminate –what to include, what to leave out, and how to portray such information. These decisions follow the creator’s opinions and perspective, either intentional or instinctive, as influenced by their prior knowledge, assumptions, and biases. Thus, media products are never entirely

accurate reflections of the real world. We should ask:
Who created this media product? What is its purpose?

What assumptions or beliefs do its creators have that are reflected in the content?

Audiences negotiate meaning

Meanings are truly in people. The meaning of any media product is not solely formed by the source or its creators but a collaboration between them and the audience – which means that different audiences may have varied takeaways from the same content. Much like how creators have their influences in the messages they create, we, as consumers, also have our own baggage too, which determines how we react to and interpret messages.MIL encourages us to understand how individual factors, such as age, gender, race, and social status, affect our interpretations of media. We should ask:

How might different people see this media product differently?

How does this make you feel, based on how similar or different you are from the people portrayed in the media product?

Media messages have commercial implications

A lot of the media messages that we consume every day are funded by advertisements or financed by businesses. Thus, some of this content is bound to sell a product or service or make a profit. For instance, some advertisements come in the guise as informative articles but are actually luring audiences to buy their product. An example is the article below:

messages have social and political implications

The media, as vehicles of information, may convey ideological messages about values, power, and authority. The media, as the press, being the fourth estate, also has an explicit capacity for advocacy and an implicit ability to frame social and political issues. These messages may be packaged out of conscious decisions, but more often than not, they are the results of unconscious biases and unquestioned assumptions – and they can have a significant influence on what we think and believe. In consequence, media have a great influence on politics and on forming social change. TV news coverage and advertising can have a huge influence on people’s political decisions, social views, and cultural perspectives. Representations of world issues, both in journalism and fiction, can affect how much attention they receive; and society’s view toward different groups can be directly influenced by how – and how often – they appear in media. And so we ask:

Who and what is shown in a positive light? In a negative light?
Why might these people and things be shown this way?
Who and what is not shown at all?

What conclusions might audiences draw based on these facts?

Each medium has a unique aesthetic form

You must remember that the kind, quality, and quantity of information that you can communicate is determined by the media that you use. This includes the technical, commercial, and creative demands of each medium. So ask yourself:

What techniques does the media product use to get your attention and to communicate its message?
In what ways are the images in the media product manipulated through various techniques (for example, lighting, makeup, camera angle, and photo manipulation)?
What are the expectations of the
genre (for example, print advertising, TV drama, and music video) towards its subject?

Benefits of Media and Information Literacy

It teaches you how to verify the information and acknowledge others’ perspectives.

Is this photo real or edited? Did this person really say this statement? Is the source of this article credible? Is this post backed with evidence? These are the things they MILteaches you to ask. Ultimately, it compels you to discern the credibility of the information you come across, especially on the Internet.

It encourages audiences to think critically.

With critical thinking, you are able to wisely use the information you have with you to objectively form an informed opinion or perspective about a certain matter or issue. You are also able to discern whether this information makes sense, what it contains, and what it lacks. You not only get to formulate your own ideas using the information you’ve acquired, but also cite these ideas as examples to support your opinions.

It promotes responsible information sharing and dissemination.

With the spread of false information nowadays, MIL encourages you to step back and evaluate the truthfulness of the things you share on social media and even those that you speak of to your friends, relatives, or colleagues.

It helps you identify and understand the media’s role in our culture.

From the billboards to the texts and the videos that we see around us, the media tend to promote our culture in various ways. MIL makes you conscious of these influences on your preferences, tastes, choices, and even lifestyles. This is important for you to be aware of the extent of the media’s influence on your life so as for you to evaluate whether it has been doing you good or bad.

It teaches you to think and decide objectively, factually, and reasonably.

Each story and information that you see everywhere you go has aside. MIL reminds us that the messages we encounter often have more than one side and that it is our responsibility to explore these other angles. Knowing all sides of the story will not only keep you neutral in issues but will also help you stay aware of texts or images that are meant to deceive readers into picking sides, such as fake news or propaganda messages.

It encourages you to participate in public affairs as a citizen actively.

Media keeps you updated with what’s happening in current affairs. Having the opportunity to voice out your opinions, whether literally or on social media, gives you the ability to actively engage in public discourse, and healthy conversations, where the views of people may affect the collective opinion of others regarding a certain issue. If done correctly, sending out a voice or starting a movement through social media can also make an impact on government affairs or make a similar change in the world.

It teaches you to create your own content responsibly

Media creators aren’t only those who work in the media industry. In reality, even our Facebook posts or tweet are already a form of media. You, in turn, are creating a piece of information that you’re willing to share, and each post that you share on social media contains information that you are responsible for.

It makes you better appreciate media products

MIL makes you more familiar with how media messages and productions are created, developed, improved, packaged, advertised, and disseminated. Your knowledge of these makes you value more the work and effort poured into making such products. Moreover, as you view or listen to products of art through media, you are able to appreciate not only its entertainment value but also its technical aspects

The Ethical Use of Information

Give credit where credit is due

The abundance of information is because of the huge number of content contributors. It is important

that an individual’s work or knowledge is given credit

when someone uses it as material. Failing to

recognize them or claiming others’ work, as one can see is not just unethical; it can also mean legal

repercussions.

Practice due diligence

Whenever people come across information, they must validate its authenticity. It is important to find out if the source of information is credible and is based on facts and research. Doing due diligence before accepting information is necessary to filter out false or misdealing data.

Respect everyone’s privacy

It is true that privacy is becoming more and more difficult to uphold in this information age. While users may not have control over what their friends share online, they do have control over what they put into the virtual space. While it is not wrong to express oneself, it is not necessary that users share every minor detail of their life on their social media accounts. This behavior not only takes up valuable storage space in cyberspace, it also raises security concerns. In addition to this, users should not share personal information about someone else without their consent.

Separate facts from opinion

The beauty of information in today’s digital age is its use of the so

-called big data or content pooling by individuals, but it has also its curse. Everyone with access to The Internet can contribute to the web of information. If users decide to do so, then they have to separate facts from opinions. Users should not publish personal beliefs and claim that they are right without proper research. They must only consider information and not abuse it.

Five Core Concepts

All media messages are ‘constructed.’
Media messages are constructed using a creative language with its own rules.
Different people experience the same media message differently.
Media have embedded values and points of view.
Most media messages are organized to gain profit and/or power.

The Information Disorder

Misinformation is information that is false, but not intended to cause harm. For example, individuals who don’t know a piece of information is false may spread it on social media in an attempt to be helpful. Sometimes people take satire seriously and disseminate it.

Disinformation is false information that is deliberately fabricated or manipulated with the express purpose to cause harm. Producers of disinformation typically have political, financial, psychological, or social motivations.

Mal-information is the deliberate publication of private information for personal or corporate, rather than public, interest. Revenge porn is an example. The disseminators can deliberately change the context, date, or time of the original content.

7 Common Forms of Information Disorder

Satire or Parody: No intention to cause harm but the potential to fool
Misleading Content: Misleading use of information to frame an issue or individual
Imposter Content: When genuine sources are impersonated
Fabricated Content: New content is 100% false, designed to deceive and do harm
False Connection: When headlines, visuals or captions don't support the content. Clickbait entices people to click on a link through eye-catching headlines that may not match the content or by withholding information from the reader. Links that say, "You Won't Believe Which Celebrities have Died!" next to a photo of a living actor is one example.
False Content: When genuine content is shared with false contextual information
Manipulated Content: When genuine information or imagery is manipulated to deceive

my responsibility as a media consumer

the five key questions

Who created this message? (Author)

Exploring the creator of a message is more than just knowing their name. This question introduces two fundamental insights about all media – “constructedness” and choice. No matter how real or natural messages or media products can be, they are always constructed and packaged by an individual or a group of people. If something sounds off or if it seems too good or too suspicious to be true, then it most probably is. Follow your gut and verify the source. Guide questions:

Is it from a news organization, a corporation, or an individual?
What links do they have to the information they are providing?

If the author claims something to be true, does he or she have the expertise and background to claim such? Consider who is presenting the information and evaluate its credibility.

What creative techniques are used to attract my attention? (Format)

Looking at the format of a media message means analyzing the way it is constructed, and the creative components that are used in putting it together – words, music, color, movement, camera angle, and many more. Most media tools and outlets use creative techniques – images, and videos to grab people’s attention. However, you should note how these factors influence you in receiving the message. Because so much of today’s content, even news, is presented to us visually, it is essential that audiences learn the basics of multimedia communication and how the use of these techniques influences the various meanings we can take away from a message.

Guide questions

Does the message include persuasive elements to convince you its story is true?
Is the footage overly graphic or designed to provoke a specific reaction?

Which celebrities or professionals are endorsing this message?

How might other people understand this message differently than me? (Audience)

As cited from the Center for Media Literacy, “our differences influence our various interpretations of media messages and second, that our similarities create common understandings.” Each individual media consumer brings to each media encounter a unique set of ideas, experiences, and backgrounds. These factors influence how you understand and interpret the media you consume. As you recognize this fact, you are able to build respect and understanding of differing opinions as well as evaluate the validity of the differing perspectives.Guide questions:

Imagine yourself in another’s shoes. Would someone of the opposite gender feel the same way as you do about this message?
How might someone of a different race or nationality feel about it?
How might an older or younger person interpret this information differently?
Was this message made to appeal to a specific audience?

What values, lifestyles, and points of view are represented in, or omitted from, this message? (Content)

As mentioned previously, the way information is sent, packaged, and received is influenced by academic, social, cultural, and political principles – all media content carries subtle messages that may sway our opinions, even content providers that try to present information objectively can have an unconscious slant. If the audiences are literate enough to question and reasonably identify both obvious and hidden embedded values in media content, whether in news or entertainment, they are more likely to be much more skilled in decoding a media message. Guide questions:

What ideas or values are being “sold” to us in this message?
What are the political ideas communicated in the message? Economic ideas?
What ideas or perspectives are left out? How would you find what’s missing?

What judgments or statements are made?

Why is this message being sent? (Purpose)

Examining the purpose of a message uncovers how it may have been influenced by money, ego, or ideology and gives you knowledge on how to interpret and respond to a message appropriately.Guide questions:

Who’s in control of the creation and transmission of this message?
Why are they sending it? How do you know?
Who profits from this message? Who pays for it?
Who is served by or benefits from the message:
The public?
Private interests?
Individuals?
Institutions?

responsibilities as a media and information literate content producer.

Give credit where credit is due.

Today, information is right on the tip of our fingers. With the use of technological innovations like cellphones, laptops, and the Internet, we can easily access and share information and media content – share a post, pass an image, forward a text message, However, always remember that although some of this information is available to us, their rights still rest on their original creators. Thus, it is important that we give proper credit to the owners or sources of the content we use (articles, texts) or things we share (images, posts). What happens when what you’re sharing is someone else’s property or could harm somebody? You may be answerable to the offended party, or you may be held liable under the law or regulations of certain organizations.

Avoid sharing raw and unverified information

Raw and unverified information are those that have yet to be examined or confirmed. An example is an announcement of a new COVID-positive case from a random person on Facebook without a formal statement from the Department of Health or proper authorities. While this information

may be true, still, they are not yet proven so and so it may also be false or incomplete. We can say that a piece of information is verified if credible people, news outlets, or organizations present pieces of evidence of cases of facts to support the truthfulness and reliability of such information.

Think about who can see what you have shared

Always assume that anything that you do online can be seen by other people – people who may be influenced by your words or opinions or people who may disagree. Moreover, always be aware of how your messages may be interpreted. So before sending that message or posting that status, evaluate how you constructed and packaged your message, and ask yourself, will your intended receiver or audience understand this message the way I want them to?

Be open to learning and constructive criticisms

As previously discussed, each individual media consumer brings to each media encounter a unique set of ideas, experiences, and backgrounds, and these factors influence how they understand and interpret the media they consume. Meaning, some people may share our view while some will disagree. Thus, it is important to keep an open mind to contrasting opinions and constructive suggestions and understand that these may actually be learning opportunities for you, which will help you establish well-informed opinions.

Share expert knowledge

The Internet is a great platform for sharing good information. However, it can also be used to spread misinformation and distortions. If you hold a lot of knowledge about a certain topic or subject, don’t be afraid to share it online in a manner that is helpful and accurate.

Respect other people’s privacy

Do not share information that friends or family entrusted you to keep confidential or information that is private in nature, especially without their consent. Moreover, remember not to share information about others that could get them -- or yourself -- into trouble, both personally and professionally.

Always be respectful

Being respectful should be your default manner, whether talking to a friend or dealing with someone professionally. Being respectful includes accepting constructive criticisms, politely disagreeing, and never resorting to bullying or personal attacks. No matter how differing opinions may be, you should always try to cultivate an environment for a healthy and respectful discussion. All these skills – from understanding the landscape of information disorder, knowing concepts of media and information literacy, to being a responsible user and producer –all develop you to become a media, literate individual