Media and information literacy: navigating a complex landscape

Posted on October 24, 2022 by hannahbrunton95

By Hannah Brunton

UNESCO’s Global Media and Information Literacy Week 2022 takes place from 24-31 October 2022 under the theme of “Nurturing Trust”, giving governments, educators, information professionals, and media professionals the chance to discuss and reflect on critical issues that the world is facing in relation to misinformation and disinformation, and the challenges of navigating the online environment.

What is media and information literacy?

Media and information literacy (MIL) is defined by UNESCO as “an interrelated set of competencies that help people to maximise advantages and minimize harms in the new information, digital and communication landscapes”.

Previously, media literacy (ML) and information literacy (IL) have been treated as distinct concepts, with ML focusing specifically on media engagement, and IL referring in a broader sense to information skills such as search, discovery, access, analysis, and management.

In the early 2000s, UNESCO united the concepts under the umbrella term of media and information literacy (MIL), and while there is still some debate among ML and IL experts about whether this is the best approach, it is generally accepted that there is value in grouping them together to develop holistic policies and initiatives.

The UK’s Media and Information Literacy Alliance (MILA) have chosen also to treat the two concepts as one. They define MIL as “the ability to engage fully with media and information in people’s connected daily lives…engaging with media and information safely and healthily, critically and actively, with positive social consequences”.

Key MIL competencies include the skills and abilities to find, critically evaluate, interpret, manage, create, communicate, store, and share media and information, both online and offline.

Why is it important?

With rapid technological developments in recent decades and the exponential growth of media and information online, it is vital that people are equipped to navigate this increasingly complex landscape. MIL is therefore becoming a growing priority for key stakeholders including librarians, teachers, policymakers, media professionals, and youth organisations.

UNESCO estimates that 60% of the global population are internet users, and as this number grows and social media becomes an increasingly powerful tool, it is vital that people across the world can recognise potentially harmful content and prevent its spread.

MILA and UNESCO have highlighted concerns about the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories around Covid-19, the climate crisis and violent extremism, and have warned that the spread of such misinformation threatens to weaken social unity, undermine democracy, and erode trust in government and the media on a global scale.

Increased access to online environments has led to a blurring of the lines between consumers and producers of information. As it becomes easier to create and share content online, it becomes increasingly difficult to effectively evaluate such content, distinguish between reliable and unreliable sources, and form balanced and informed perspectives.

The skills associated with MIL are crucial to addressing these issues, and there is a clear case for MIL initiatives that help people to develop these skills as a part of their lifelong learning. Being able to understand where information comes from, identify ‘fake news’, recognise bias, think critically about different perspectives, and create and share media responsibly, can encourage greater civic engagement and empower individuals and communities to create positive change.

MIL initiatives and resources

UNESCO are leaders in the global MIL arena in terms of influencing policy and strategy. Their Media and Information Literacy Alliance (distinct from the UK’s MILA) was set up to facilitate strategic partnerships and networks among the global MIL community and is open to all organisations and individuals.

UNESCO have various MIL-related publications including their MIL Policy and Strategy Guidelines, the MIL Curriculum aimed at both educators and learners, the Global MIL Assessment Framework for assessing country readiness, and the MIL Cities framework aimed at key stakeholders in the development of MIL at the city level. The MIL CLICKS campaign has been designed to encourage individuals to critically evaluate information before sharing it online.

In the UK, MILA was launched in response to the government’s Online Media Literacy Strategy, which was published by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in July 2021. DCMS have since launched their Media Literacy Programme Fund which is intended to award grants for UK media literacy initiatives.

MILA have recently published the MILA Framework, a draft Information Literacy Impact Framework and a guide focused on disinformation around the Russian invasion of Ukraine. They have also launched a ‘Disinformation Step by Step’ MOOC (massive open online course) for educators, librarians, teachers and journalists, and have previously delivered free webinars during 2021’s Global MIL Week.

Building a media and information literate Scotland

Last month, CILIP Scotland ran an afternoon of online sessions on Building a Media, Digital and Information Literate Scotland, as part of their series of online Autumn Gatherings.

The event included a presentation on UNESCO’s MIL initiatives by Sheila Webber, Director of the Centre for Information Literacy Research at the University of Sheffield. Webber discussed the scope and impact of UNESCO’s work on MIL, noting the value of their publications and initiatives while highlighting the need for stronger partnerships and communication between stakeholders at the global level.

A panel discussion took place on issues around MIL for young people in Scotland and included a conversation about ‘Maddie is Online’ – a project aimed at developing MIL among pre-teen children through a video cartoon series addressing key challenges of the online environment.

The event also included a presentation on Ofcom’s ‘Making Sense of Media’ project, which involved in-depth research on the current state of media literacy in the UK and pilot initiatives promoting MIL among underserved communities.

A session delivered by Dr Ann Wales from the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre discussed the ‘Information for Wellbeing’ course which was recently developed with NHS Scotland and the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), to equip library staff with skills to help users find trusted health and wellbeing information. Dr Wales emphasised the importance of literacies in enabling engagement and influencing national policy change.

Final thoughts

There is a clear need for focused efforts to develop MIL and enable people to engage effectively with media and information. As demonstrated by the work of UNESCO and MILA, collaboration and strategic partnerships are key, and initiatives like Global MIL Week offer a valuable opportunity for the international and cross-sectoral communication needed to coordinate the global effort to ensure MIL for all.

Further reading: more about information, media and digital skills on the Knowledge Exchange blog:

Skilling up: the case for digital literacy

Social media: does it influence political participation?

Assessing information quality: sorting the wheat from the CRAAP

e-Participation: helping citizens engage with politics and policy making in the 21st century

Posted on December 16, 2015 by stevenmcginty

Image by Gage Skidmore via Creative Commons

By Steven McGinty

Last week, more than half a million people signed an e-petition to block controversial US presidential candidate, Donald Trump, from entering the UK.

These signatures were gathered using the UK Parliament’s official e-petitions website, which allows any British citizen or UK resident to create or sign a petition. The website, which was launched in August 2011, provides a direct route for the public’s voice to be heard. Most notably, if a petition collects 100,000 signatures, it’s required to be considered for debate in parliament.

In its first year, the website received a total of 36,000 petitions, attracting 6.4 million signatures. And although it has been criticised for rejecting almost half of petition requests, millions of people are continuing to use the service.

e-Participation

The UK Parliament e-petition website is an example of an initiative that encourages ‘e-participation’. According to the European Commission,

“e-Participation helps people engage in politics and policy-making and makes the decision-making processes easier to understand, thanks to information and communication technologies (ICTs).”

However, it’s important to note that e-participation is not all about the ‘e’. This is the view of Ella Taylor-Smith, Research Student at Edinburgh Napier University’s Institute for Informatics and Digital Innovation, who explains that challenges to participation are usually associated with the social side of projects. This is why she recommends that e-participation should be integrated into the wider work of participation.

The ‘active citizen’

According to the Hansard Society, citizens are moving away from having a passive, broadcast only relationship with their MP, and are seeking a relationship were they can ‘contribute to the democratic debate’. That’s why, as digital technology is becoming more prevalent, MPs are becoming expected to use digital tools to communicate directly with their constituents. Recently, we have even seen guidance published by Parliament on how politicians should use Twitter.

Pirate Party UK

In 2009, Pirate Party UK was founded and introduced a new concept to British politics. The party, which has been inspired by the Swedish party of the same name, takes a collaborative approach to the development of policy, allowing anyone to make a contribution (with members ultimately deciding what the party stands for). They explain that:

“At the heart of Pirate Party politics is the right for everyone to share knowledge and take an equal part in society.”

In practice, this means that anyone can put forward their views on the Party’s online discussion forum. They highlight that this allows them to run on the UK’s first ‘crowdsourced manifesto’.

NHS Scotland

E-participation is not just about contributing to policy and holding elected representatives to account. For many people, e-participation is at its best when it empowers peoples and gives them a say in the issues that affect their daily lives.

In 2013, NHS Scotland published a report on their e-participation work. The report emphasises that the technical barriers to citizen involvement and co-production of services have now gone, thanks to the increased use of digital technology. It also highlighted that 71% of people are now accessing the internet for health-related information.

The report outlines some of the main e-participation activities that NHS Scotland’s boards are involved in. These include:

distributing health information
facilitating discussions on health issues
gathering positive and negative experiences from patients and public
engaging with staff

e-Participation in the Netherlands

In 2014, the United Nations E-Government Survey ranked the Netherlands as a top performer (jointly with South Korea) in e-participation. This is not too surprising, considering the Netherlands already has a long tradition of open and transparent government.

The Dutch approach to civic engagement has led to a number of e-participation initiatives, including:

eRepresentation – a tool used by the official Environmental Council for Schiphol Airport to collect the conflicting interests of economic development, spatial planning and environmental protection.
Citizenlink – an initiative which sets out to improve the performance of the public sector by introducing quality standards and measuring citizen satisfaction.
TrackYourCouncil – a voting assist tool which provides a comparison of political parties on the basis of 30 main issues during election time.
WeEvaluate – a national website which allows citizens to evaluate public services.

Finals thoughts

The increased use of technology provides a greater opportunity for citizens to participate in the decision-making that affects them. Yet, e-participation is still in its infancy and even Dutch politicians have responded to greater citizen involvement with some resistance. In addition, the Scottish Government has, on occasion, overlooked the democratic element in their definition of e-participation, preferring to focus on the access to technology aspect, such as in their Digital Participation Charter.

Therefore, although the technology is available to support citizen engagement, policies will have to be introduced to ensure that participation via technology is part of the normal process. Otherwise, citizens may find their own channels for engagement, which bypass politicians or policy makers.

Follow us on Twitter to see what developments in policy and practice are interesting our research team.

Further reading: if you liked this blog post, you might also want to read our other articles on digital policy, including:

Living in a democracy, it’s easy to forget how fortunate we are

Posted on February 27, 2015 by Rebecca TKE

Photo: Rebecca Riley

By Rebecca Riley

A week ago I was invited to a private view of “Election! Britain Votes” – a bold and experimental new exhibition developed by the People’s History Museum in Manchester as we prepare to go to the polling station. Having read the recent review by New Statesman, where the exhibition is described as “candid and sincere… far removed from the complacency we often get when museums try and do politics”, I was looking forward to visiting one of my favourite museums.

As a big supporter of democracy and people having the right to actively participate in the decisions which rule our lives, I couldn’t help but wonder at the number of attendees (it was a ‘good turn-out’) and whether the innovation and impact of the exhibition will ever reach the people it needs to, the disaffected voters.

Opened by Jon Snow, he made some interesting opening statements – his enthusiasm for the exhibition was obvious but he highlighted some key issues we face as a democracy:

“It’s time to start running the country in a different way… we are a country of London” – a tip of the hat to the devolution options now being discussed, within cities and across devolved nations.
It “cannot be right, that there are not more women in parliament” – pointing out a thought-provoking statistic from the exhibition, that there haven’t been enough women in parliament so far, to fill the whole House once!

The exhibition is pitched as a place to debate, discuss and reflect on the importance of our vote in 2015. Through the most amazing and immersive infographics I have seen (created by @AJGardnerDesign) the exhibition takes you through the history of voting; the mechanics of it and what goes on behind the scenes.

It lays down the gauntlet to Russell Brand by answering the question “voting: what’s the point?” and finishes with a terminal which allows you to register online to vote. The visitor is challenged not to, having witnessed the struggle others went through to enable you to have the right!

Having visited, the prevailing memory of the exhibition is summed up in the title of this blog – we take for granted the privileges we have as a result of living in a democracy. Taking it for granted means we risk losing its benefits:

Reducing inequality by preventing the capture of power by elite groups – power is spread wider and in a more representative way;
Representing diverse opinions and needs of individuals across government, and ensuring government money helps those in need;
Having greater control and power over our own everyday lives;
Countering extremism from either direction; and
Maintaining local decision making and accountability.

As Jon Snow said, the exhibition shows us “how we got to where we are… but we don’t know where we will be”. But one thing was very obvious from the voter turnout figures presented – fewer and fewer people are exercising their right to shape what we will be, as a country and community. The voting population is disillusioned and feels excluded from the decision making; and political parties, individual politicians and the government should take action to re-engage the electorate.

If you are wondering why you should vote, I would highly recommend a visit!

Further reading

We have previously blogged on voting and democracy:

Other resources which you may find interesting (some may only be available to Idox Information Service members):

A programme for effective government: what the party manifestos must address in 2015

Civic participation and political trust: the impact of compulsory voting

Elections: turnout (House of Commons Library standard note SN/SG/1467)

Voter engagement in the UK: fourth report of session 2014/15

The Knowledge Exchange Blog

The official blog of The Knowledge Exchange from Idox

Tag Archives: civic participation

e-Participation: helping citizens engage with politics and policy making in the 21st century

Living in a democracy, it’s easy to forget how fortunate we are

The Knowledge Exchange Blog

The official blog of The Knowledge Exchange from Idox

What is media and information literacy?

Why is it important?

MIL initiatives and resources

Building a media and information literate Scotland

Final thoughts

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