The Covid-19 pandemic turned a spotlight on the very human impact of disinformation. In other areas too, such as with climate change and violent extremism, the online spread of conspiracy theories, anti-rational attitudes and paranoia undermines social cohesion and democracy. Media and information literacy is a key part of the fight back against these and other online harms.
But the opportunity is also broader than this. People today are living in a world that is being constantly reshaped by knowledge, data and information. There is a stronger case than ever for equipping everyone in society with the skills, know-how and confidence to discover, use, share and create information in judicious, discerning ways; and to understand where information comes from, how it is mediated and why this is important. In this sense, media and information literacy are essential to having a better understanding of the world, and consequently to empower people to develop informed views and engage fully with society.
MILA will play a role in helping to foster this understanding. In the first instance, it has set out a framework that explains how media and information literacy enables people to fulfil important lifelong aspirations: to be empowered, to be healthy, to be connected, to be informed and to be socially conscious. There is an additional and timely reason for establishing MILA. In July 2021, the UK Government set out its Online Media Literacy Strategy, which includes key sections specifically on information literacy. For the first time, the UK has a national, strategic framework for media and information literacy, backed up with a commitment by DCMS to implement relevant measures through annual action plans. One of the Strategy’s key proposals is a call for better coordination between different stakeholders, across all relevant sectors, to help develop media and information literacy interventions. MILA fits neatly with this intention, complementing existing initiatives such as the News Literacy Network and Ofcom’s Making Sense of Media Network.
Definitions
According to UNESCO, media and information literacy (MIL) provides answers to questions that we all might ask ourselves at some point. How can we access, search, critically assess, use and contribute content wisely, both online and offline? What are our rights online and offline? What are the ethical issues surrounding the access and use of information? How can we engage with media and ICTs to promote equality, intercultural and interreligious dialogue, peace, freedom of expression and access to information?
On that basis, MILA sees media and information literacy (MIL) is the ability to engage fully with media and information in people’s connected daily lives. This means engaging with media and information safely and healthily, critically and actively, with positive social consequences. MIL enables individuals and communities to engage fully with society, to participate in democratic life and to hold those in power to account. It provides the skills and abilities that everyone needs to discover, access, interpret, analyse, manage, create, communicate, store and share information. It makes a vital contribution to education, health, the workplace and everyday life, as well as citizenship.
MIL is made up of two largely overlapping concepts: media literacy and information literacy. There is an abundance of definitions for these two concepts, reflecting the range of approaches and emphases from the many players with an interest in this area. We propose the following descriptions, which are both credible and current:
Media literacy is explained in the UK Government’s Online Media Literacy Strategy (published in July 2021) as follows:
- an understanding of the nature and characteristics of material published by means of the electronic media
- an awareness of the impact that such material may have (for example, the impact on the behaviour of those who receive it)
- an awareness and understanding of the processes by which such material is selected or made available for publication
- an awareness of the available systems by which:
- the nature of such material may be established the reliability and accuracy of such material may be established
- personal information may be protected
- persons to whom such material is made available may control what is received
- an awareness of the uses to which the systems mentioned may be put.
Information literacy is comprehensively explained in CILIP’s 2018 definition, which states that information literacy is the ability to think critically and make balanced judgements about any information that we find and use. It empowers people as citizens to develop informed views and to engage fully with society. The definition goes on to stress that information literacy incorporates a set of skills and abilities which everyone needs to undertake information-related tasks; for instance, how to discover, access, interpret, analyse, manage, create, communicate, store and share information. Even more than that, information literacy concerns the application of the competencies, attributes and confidence needed to make the best use of information and to interpret it judiciously. It also incorporates critical thinking and awareness, and an understanding of both the ethical and political issues associated with using information. Importantly, the CILIP definition emphasises that information literacy applies to, and is determined by, broad lifelong contexts: education, citizenship, health, the workplace, as well as everyday life.