- What is media literacy and why is it
important?
In short, media literacy is the ability to
think critically about the information
you consume and create. It includes the
ability to distinguish fact from
opinion, and to understand how media
can sometimes be used to persuade
people. Media literacy is important
because it is the basis for being an
informed and critical thinker in a world
where technology and media are
ubiquitous, helping to immunize people
against undue persuasion and false
information. What is fake news and why do people
create it?
Fake news is any information that is
deliberately meant to be wholly or
largely false or misleading. Motivations
for creating fake news include financial
gain – by getting people to click on
sites so they’re exposed to advertising –
or to persuade others to take an action,
purchase a product, or support or
oppose a cause or political candidate.
Some people perpetuate fake news just
for the sake of deceiving people or as a
prank. Honest mistakes happen and
they are not fake news. But those who
publish or say something that they later
find out to be untrue have an obligation
to correct the record. - How do we explain the difference
between facts and opinions?
Both fact and opinion help us understand
the world around us. Facts are accurate
reports of what happened or what exists,
while opinions are an interpretation of
the meaning or impact, usually from an
individual’s perspective. It’s legitimate for
an opinion to be influenced by a person’s
world view, but even those who express
an opinion should back them up with
facts rather than inaccurate information.