The Digital Media Literacy Crisis
The emergence of the Internet and connected mobile devices changed everything. The speed at which information is available to people today versus decades prior is unparalleled. With just a few clicks on a smartphone, people can consume immense amounts of information from a variety of sources - applications, news outlets, messages, and social media. As a result, access to information has changed the way we connect, live, and work. Technological advances have provided society with many benefits of convenience; however, few innovative solutions are without related challenges, and digital media is no exception.
What is “digital media literacy”?
While the majority of Americans use digital media for multiple purposes in their personal and professional lives, very few understand how to use digital media in a responsible manner.
The term “digital media literacy” is used to describe someone’s competency in utilizing digital tools, including a working knowledge of cybersecurity, computer networking, online platforms, and social media. An informed digital media user knows how to leverage technology in a way that supports positive outcomes for themselves, their community, and affiliated organizations.
Everything that an individual does online has the potential to transcend digital boundaries and impact real people in the real world. When deployed responsibly and ethically, digital media tools can be life-changing. For example, social media connected millions of people that were socially distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the same platforms that were used to bring people together were also utilized to drive people apart, especially through the spread of conspiracy theories, hate speech, misinformation and disinformation, and online harassment. Thus, it’s critical that people active online are aware of how digital media platforms work, and how they can be used to enhance quality of life - not harm it.
The State of Digital Media Literacy in the US
Unfortunately, digital media literacy in the United States is lacking. A 2019 survey by Pew Research revealed that most respondents could not answer basic questions on a digital knowledge quiz. Interestingly, survey results revealed that digital media literacy skills were lacking across all adult generations, even including “digital natives” - Generation Z (Gen Z). While Gen Zers are prolific digital media users, this demographic is painfully lacking in foundational digital media literacy skills.
Many of the social media apps that are popular with Gen Zers, such as Tik Tok, YouTube, and Snapchat, are reported to have high rates of misinformation and disinformation shared over the feed. Recent research indicated that Gen Zers were too trusting of information that was disseminated on social media and had high engagement rates (Likes, Shares, etc.). It’s important to recognize that just because Gen Z spends a lot of time online does not mean they know how to engage responsibly on digital media.
The Perfect Storm: Digital Literacy Shortfall and Social Media Dependence
People that lack digital media literacy skills are at risk of cyber and social engineering attacks, falling prey to adversarial manipulation, and being misled by misinformation and disinformation that is prolifically spread across various social media platforms. Given social media’s extensive global reach and advanced in-app capabilities, digital media illiteracy can be a potentially dangerous situation, as we saw with violent uprisings in Myanmar and Sri Lanka.
Similar to a motorized vehicle, in and of itself, digital media isn’t necessarily dangerous or helpful; instead, it’s all in how it’s used. For example, if the person in the driver’s seat has never operated a vehicle before, this person may cause harm to themselves, their passengers, or people in the area should they try to drive without proper training. Likewise, if the person in the driver’s seat is licensed and experienced at operating a motor vehicle, they can navigate a variety of environments - winding mountain roads, complicated interchanges, inclement weather, etc. - and arrive safely at the intended destination.
Today’s adult social media users in the U.S. averages over two hours a day on some form of digital media. Recent digital media reports that Americans check their smartphones between 100 and 150 times a day on average. These high usage statistics related to digital and social media indicate rising dependence on technology-empowered tools that the majority of users are ignorant about. To be effective as community or organizational leaders, professionals must master the foundational digital media literacy skills necessary to succeed in this Information Era.
How is your digital media literacy?
Think about your own digital media literacy and usage:
Do you understand how content is selected via algorithms to be shown in your news feed?
Can you identify “clickbait”? Do you know why clickbait can impact information integrity?
Do you know key signs that you’re communicating with a bot versus a real person across electronic channels?
Are you aware of the cyber and information security protocols to help protect your information?
Do you know how to sift through information shared online and determine what is trustworthy vs. inaccurate information?
Are you aware of what personal information is available to the public online via your digital footprint?
How Digital Literacy Impacts Organizations
Due to the accessibility, convenience, and market permeability of digital media, most of us have become accustomed to engaging online without much thought as to the potential implications, or “ripple effect,” of our online conduct. What we do online has the potential to impact the lives of people we are connected with, including our friends and family, employers, schools, and organizations with which we are affiliated. The consequences of our online activity may “ripple” throughout multiple networks in our hyperconnected world. This can create many challenges for individuals and organizations when one’s online conduct is irresponsible and/or ill-informed.
Regardless of whether we are digitally “literate” or not, our online activity has the potential to impact many aspects of life. To continue with the driving analogy - cars are just tool that has the potential to positively or negatively impact people's lives, depending on how they are used. The same is true for digital media.
Organizations whose employees are digitally illiterate pose numerous risks and vulnerabilities to the overall operation and reputation of the company. We’ve seen this time and time again when organizational leaders fail to demonstrate digital media competency on social media. Examples include Maj. Gen. John R. Evans's misstep on Twitter and Justine Sacco’s thoughtless social media post resulted in extensive negative publicity for her employer.
Equipping organizational employees and leaders with digital media literacy skills can help improve the effective use of these platforms to support and strengthen our organizations and communities. Just because an organization’s team spends a lot of time on digital media, doesn’t mean they know how to utilize popular platforms in effective, responsible, and professional ways.
Digital Media Literacy Training Resources
Digital media literacy skills training has been noted as an effective strategy for building cognitive resilience to mis/disinformation through an increased ability to identify what is and isn’t accurate information.
Here are a few educational resources for enhancing digital media literacy:
Bad News: An online game designed to help users identify mis/disinformation spread on social media
ClaimBuster: A fact-checking tool developed by the University of Texas at Arlington
Cranky Uncle: An online game that builds resilience against misinformation
CrashCourse Media Literacy: Six-part video series on YouTube that covers the basics of digital media literacy
Cyber Crime Support Network: A nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing awareness about cybercrimes, including those delivered via social media
Fake It to Make It: An educational game that teaches users about mis/disinformation by allowing them to create their own manipulative fake campaign
Stop Think Connect: An online educational resource repository for improving digital media habits regarding information security practices
Who Targets Me: An online tool that provides information on what political organizations target users for advertising online
Customized Solutions for Digital Media Literacy Support
Becker Digital has demonstrated success in training public and private sector audiences on digital media skills, successfully equipping today’s leaders to succeed on social media in a way that supports organizational mission and impact. Our highly-qualified team has worked with public organizations facing reputation-damaging, and operation-disrupting digital media situations. We worked with these organizational clients to develop and implement customized solutions to these complex challenges.
Digital media isn’t going away anytime soon; instead, its high rates of usage continue to increase, suggesting a level of population dependence on digital media platforms at unprecedented levels. Combatting the adverse effects of irresponsible conduct on social media requires a customized, human-centric, and responsive approach that positions organizational members to succeed online and offline. Our customized digital media literacy training empowers organizations to succeed in the Digital Era.
Learn more about digital media literacy:
Becker Digital specializes in digital skills and social media training. We help mission-driven organizations succeed in an ever-changing, digitally-driven world. Contact us today to discuss your organization’s mission and goals.
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