media literacy definition essay

What’s in a name: Defining media literacy

Defining the Umbrella Term ‘Media Literacy’ and the Competencies and Concepts it Includes

With our state advocacy leaders, we have developed definitions to help advocates and policymakers navigate the terrain of literacy in the 21st century. Media and communication technologies are changing quickly, and the terms we use are sometimes not well defined. Our glossary stems from a desire to assist policymakers and advocates in driving policy changes that lead to media literacy education for all K-12 students. You can download our definitions from our Resource Library .

Media Literacy

Media literacy is the umbrella term for a number of other competencies and concepts.

Media literacy is the ability to: decode media messages, including the systems in which they exist; assess the influence of those messages on our thoughts, feelings, behaviors, perceptions, beliefs, health, and on our society; and use and create media to provide information, send a message, or tell one’s own story in a way that is thoughtful, conscientious, safe, and responsible.

We draw from a shared definition of the field that has endured for the past 30 years. The National Association for Media Literacy Education definition is an evolution of the commonly cited definition developed at a 1992 Aspen Institute conference on media literacy: Media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and act using all forms of communication.

The Connecticut definition from House Bill 6762 , passed and signed by the governor in 2023, takes the above a step further: Media literacy means the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create and participate with media in all forms by understanding the role of media in society, and building skills of inquiry and self-expression essential to participation and collaboration in a democratic society.

Digital Citizenship

Digital citizenship refers to the use of media literacy to participate in the public sphere using communications technology. Digital citizenship is an outcome that requires media literacy skills.

We will use the Texas statutory definition: Digital citizenship refers to applying “the standards of appropriate, responsible, and healthy online behavior, including the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and act on all forms of digital communication.”

The key to understanding digital citizenship is this: “We can’t fully exercise our citizenship without the literacies that our time (including our media environment) demands – media, social and digital literacies – and without the agency to exercise our human rights and engage as citizens.” Anne Collier, founder and executive director of The Net Safety Collaborative

Digital Literacy

Digital literacy is applying media literacy skills when using digital technology to create, send, and take in information and messages.

Digital literacy has arisen from the disciplines of the computer sciences and library and information sciences. The term is sometimes connected to learning the basic techniques of using digital devices, including computers, tablets, smartphones, and the internet. We however, borrow more heavily from the library and information sciences in our use of the term. Thus, our definition emphasizes the use of critical thinking skills when engaging in the creation, sharing, and consumption of media and information through digital devices and platforms.

It’s notable that the U.S. Department of Education has a definition for programs it funds: “Digital literacy refers to the skills needed when using digital technology that enable users to find, evaluate, organize, create, and communicate information; and also to develop digital citizenship and the responsible use of technology.” It is essential that policymakers and local education agencies understand the full scope of digital literacy because of the funding at stake.

The UNESCO definition is also helpful here: “Digital literacy is the ability to access, manage, understand, integrate, communicate, evaluate and create information safely and appropriately through digital technologies for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship. It includes competences that are variously referred to as computer literacy, [information and communication technologies] literacy, information literacy and media literacy.”

Information Literacy

Information literacy is a subdomain of media literacy that enables individuals to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information. We have relied on the definition of the American Library Association .

Information literacy requires questions such as; Is this website legitimate? Is it a good source for the information I need? For example; Is this the U.S. government’s official Bureau of Labor statistics website, and is it the best place to get information about how many people work in the farm industry?

News Literacy

News literacy is a subdomain of media literacy with an emphasis on knowledge of journalistic practice and the news media industry applied to judging the credibility and reliability of information found in news sources.

For example, when using news literacy skills one asks: What kind of news source is this? How independent is this source? Do the practitioners use the practices of journalism to create news that informs its audience? Are the facts verified and credible? Is the place where I get news a reliable source of factual information that I can use to make decisions or take actions?

For this definition we rely on the work of Dr. Michael A. Spikes at Northwestern University and also this News Literacy Project definition:

News Literacy Project : News literacy is the ability to determine the credibility of news and other information and to recognize the standards of fact-based journalism to know what to trust, share and act on.

Digital Wellness

Digital wellness education addresses the physical and emotional health impacts of media use, with attention to helping develop the conscious, balanced use of media that aligns with an individuals’ goals for their health and well-being.

For this definition we rely on the Harvard Medical School/Childrens Hospital Digital Wellness Lab: Digital wellness is an intentional state of physical, mental, and social health that occurs with mindful engagement with the digital and natural environment.

Social Media Literacy

Social media literacy is media literacy applied when using social media. Since so much of information consumption, creation, and sharing takes place on social media platforms, social media literacy encompasses digital, information, and news literacies. It is essential that students learn how the rise of social media requires greater responsibilities for the creation and dissemination of news and information via digital platforms.

Social media literacy also encompasses digital citizenship and digital wellness to address physical and mental health implications of social media use, including positive or negative mental and emotional health implications of viewing certain social media content, and all aspects of safety and wellness related to social media use.

AI Literacy (added October 2024)

Artificial Intelligence or AI literacy is another component of media literacy, not a new literacy. AI literacy is applying media literacy skills to recognize and think critically about media that is created using AI technology – sometimes called “synthetic media” – and to be reflective and mindful when using AI to create media.

The Digital Promise definition is instructive, but omits the importance of effective use: A.I. literacy includes the knowledge and skills that enable humans to critically understand, use, and evaluate AI systems and tools to safely, [effectively,] and ethically participate in an increasingly digital world.

A new California provision in the Statutes of 2024 includes this definition:

“Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy” means the knowledge, skills, and attitudes associated with how artificial intelligence works, including its principles, concepts, and applications, as well as how to use artificial intelligence, including its limitations, implications, and ethical considerations.

This definition does not explicitly include the application of critical thinking skills around media consumption – ie, investigating the source – or around media creation with reflection and mindfulness.

Download these definitions from our Resource Library .

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Media Literacy in the Modern Age

How to understand the messages we observe all day every day

Cynthia Vinney, PhD is an expert in media psychology and a published scholar whose work has been published in peer-reviewed psychology journals.

Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Morsa Images / Getty Images

How to Practice Media Literacy

We live in a world saturated with media of all kinds, from newspapers to radio to television to the internet. How do we understand and evaluate all of these media messages we encounter daily? Well, it's this neat little skill called media literacy.

Media literacy is the ability to apply critical thinking skills to the messages, signs, and symbols transmitted through mass media . It empowers us to make better choices about what we choose to read, watch, and listen to, and helps us become smarter, more discerning members of society.

Media literacy is seen as an essential 21st-century skill by educators and scholars, including media psychologists . In fact, the mission statement of Division 46 of the American Psychological Association , the Society for Media Psychology and Technology , includes support for the development of media literacy.

Despite this, many people still dismiss media as harmless entertainment and claim they aren't influenced by its messages. However, research findings consistently demonstrate that people are impacted by the media messages they consume.

Media literacy interventions and education help children and adults recognize the influence media has and give them the knowledge and tools to mitigate its impact.

History of Media Literacy

The earliest attempts at media literacy education are often traced back to the British Film Institute's push in the late 1920s and early 1930s to teach analytical skills to media users. Around the same time in America, the Wisconsin Association for Better Broadcasters sought to teach citizens to be more critical consumers of media.

However, the goal of these initial media literacy efforts, which continued into the 1960s, was to protect students from media by warning them against its consumption. Despite this perspective, the dominance of media—and television in particular—continued to grow, even as interest in media literacy education waned.

Media Literacy and the Internet

More recently, the advent of the internet and portable technologies that enable us to consume media anywhere and anytime has led to a resurgence in the call for media literacy. Yet the goal is no longer to prevent people from using media, but to help them become more informed, thoughtful media consumers.

Although media literacy education has now become accepted and successful in English-speaking countries including Australia, Canada, and Britain, it has yet to become a standard part of the curriculum in the United States, where a lack of centralization has led to a scattershot approach to teaching practical media literacy skills.

Impact of Media Literacy

Despite America's lack of a standardized media literacy curriculum, study after study has shown the value of teaching people of all ages media literacy skills.

For example, a review of the research on media literacy education and reduction in racial and ethnic stereotypes found that children as young as 12 can be trained to recognize bias in media depictions of race and ethnicity and understand the harm it can cause.

Though the authors note that this topic is still understudied, they observe that the evidence suggests media literacy education can help adolescents become sensitive to prejudice and learn to appreciate diversity.

Media Literacy Affects Your Sense of Self

Meanwhile, multiple studies have shown that media literacy interventions reduce body dissatisfaction that can be the result of the consumption of media messages.

In one investigation, adolescent girls were shown an intervention video by the Dove Self-Esteem Fund before being shown images of ultra-thin models. While a control group reported lower body satisfaction and body esteem after viewing the images of the models, the group that viewed the intervention first didn't experience these negative effects.

Studies Show Having Media Literacy Prevents Body Image Issues

Similarly, another study showed college women (who were at high risk for eating disorders ) reported less body dissatisfaction, a lower desire to be thin, and reduced internalization of societal beauty standards after participating in a media literacy intervention. The researchers concluded that media literacy training could help prevent eating disorders in high-risk individuals.

How Media Literacy Prevents Misinformation

Moreover, studies have shown that media literacy education can help people better discern the truth of media claims, enabling them to detect "fake news" and make more informed decisions.

For instance, research into young adults' assessment of the accuracy of claims on controversial public issues was improved if the subjects had been exposed to media literacy education. In addition, another study showed that only people who underwent media literacy training engaged in critical social media posting practices that prevented them from posting false information about the COVID-19 pandemic.

The evidence for the benefits of media literacy suggests it is valuable for people of all ages to learn to be critical media consumers. Media scholar W. James Potter observes that all media messages include four dimensions:

Cognitive : the information that is being conveyed
Emotional : the underlying feelings that are being expressed
Aesthetic: the overall precision and artistry of the message
Moral : the values being conveyed through the message

Media psychologist Karen Dill-Shackleford suggests that we can use these four dimensions as a jumping off point to improve our media literacy skills.

Applying Media Literacy in Real-World Situations

Let's say while streaming videos online we're exposed to an advertisement for a miracle weight loss drug. In order to better evaluate what the ad is really trying to tell us, we can break it down as follows:

On the cognitive dimension we can assess what information the ad is conveying to us by asking some of the following questions: What does the ad promise the drug will do? Does it seem likely the drug can deliver on those promises? Who would need this kind of drug?
On the emotional dimension, we can evaluate the feelings the creator of the ad wants us to feel: Do they want us to feel insecure about our weight? Do they want us to imagine the positive ways this drug could change our lives? Do they want us to envision the satisfaction we would feel after the drug delivers its quick fix?
On the aesthetic dimension, we can determine how the ad employs messages and images to make us believe the product will deliver on its promises: Does the ad show "before" and "after" images of someone who supposedly took the drug? Does the "before" image look sad and the "after" image happy? Does the ad offer testimonials from people that are identified as experts?
On the moral dimension, we can examine what the ad makers wanted to say: Are they equating thinness with happiness? Are they sending the message that it's a moral failing when someone is overweight? Are they saying that one has to be thin to be loved and respected?

This is one avenue for learning to practice media literacy in everyday life. Remember, the purpose of media literacy isn't to enjoy media less, it's to give people the tools to be active media consumers.

Why You Should Practice Media Literacy

Not only will media literacy enable you to detect, analyze, and evaluate negative or false media messages, it will actually enable you to enjoy media more because it puts control over the media back into your hands. And research shows this is likely to increase your health and happiness.

About the Society for Media Psychology & Technology . Society for Media Psychology & Technology, Division 46 of the American Psychological Association. 2013.

Dill-Shackleford KE. How Fantasy Becomes Reality . New York: Oxford University Press; 2009.

Arke ET. Media Literacy: History, Progress, and Future Hopes . In: Dill-Shackleford KE, ed. The Oxford Handbook Of Media Psychology . 1st ed. New York: Oxford University Press; 2012. doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195398809.013.0006

Scharrer E, Ramasubramanian S. Intervening in the Media's Influence on Stereotypes of Race and Ethnicity: The Role of Media Literacy Education . Journal of Social Issues . 2015;71(1):171-185. doi:10.1111/josi.12103

Halliwell E, Easun A, Harcourt D. Body dissatisfaction: Can a short media literacy message reduce negative media exposure effects amongst adolescent girls? Br J Health Psychol . 2011;16(2):396-403. doi:10.1348/135910710x515714

Coughlin JW, Kalodner C. Media literacy as a prevention intervention for college women at low- or high-risk for eating disorders . Body Image . 2006;3(1):35-43. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2006.01.001

Kahne J, Bowyer B. Educating for Democracy in a Partisan Age: Confronting the Challenges of Motivated Reasoning and Misinformation . Am Educ Res J . 2016;54(1):3-34. doi:10.3102/0002831216679817

Melki J, Tamim H, Hadid D, Makki M, El Amine J, Hitti E. Mitigating infodemics: The relationship between news exposure and trust and belief in COVID-19 fake news and social media spreading . PLoS One . 2021;16(6). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0252830

Potter WJ. Media Literacy . 4th ed. Los Angeles: SAGE; 2008.

By Cynthia Vinney, PhD Cynthia Vinney, PhD is an expert in media psychology and a published scholar whose work has been published in peer-reviewed psychology journals.