In my previous article, I tried to provide a comprehensive overview of how social media has evolved, how it can and should be used to encourage social change, despite the many challenges posed by algorithms and bad actors that prevent it from doing so effectively.
Social media is a huge part of our daily lives, and it has become the go-to place for a significant number of people to get their news updates, especially those under the age of 25.
News isn't just made available on social media; there is commentary attached to every single repost and share, often slanting the already slanted headlines, creating increased triggers for people to click and read information—some factual, some opinion—which can often be primed to create and confirm bias.
In an era where information is omnipresent, social media literacy has become a crucial, yet rarely used, skill. From misinformation to echo chambers, the pitfalls of social media are numerous and often detrimental to public discourse. My wife and business partner, Elizabeth Sheldon, has been banging this drum for years. As we approach another divisive election in the US, with conflicts occurring all over the world and echo chambers getting deeper and louder than ever before, there has never been a greater need for this skill to be learned for the sake of creating a more informed and balanced society.
The Importance of Social Media Literacy
Combating Misinformation
Misinformation spreads faster on social media than factual information and can have severe consequences—from swaying public opinion on critical issues to influencing election outcomes to ruining innocent people's lives. Social media literacy helps individuals critically evaluate the information they encounter online, enabling them to discern fact from fiction. This critical thinking skill is vital in an age where anyone can publish content without editorial oversight.
Click-baiting
Headlines are often crafted to trigger emotional reactions, drawing people in regardless of the content's accuracy. Even when articles are fact-based, the way information is presented can reinforce existing beliefs, leading to confirmation bias. Understanding this tactic is a key part of social media literacy, helping users recognise when they're being manipulated and encouraging them to look beyond the headlines and opinions.
Avoiding Echo Chambers
Social media algorithms are designed to show users content that aligns with their existing beliefs and interests. This creates echo chambers where individuals are only exposed to viewpoints that reinforce their own, limiting their understanding of opposing perspectives. Social media literacy encourages users to seek out diverse sources of information, promoting a more well-rounded understanding of complex issues.
Enhancing Civic Engagement
An informed populace is essential for a healthy democracy. Social media literacy empowers citizens to engage with news and political content responsibly. It encourages active participation in civic discussions and informed decision-making, which are fundamental to democratic processes.
Protecting Personal Privacy
Understanding the implications of sharing personal information on social media is a critical aspect of digital literacy. Users must be aware of how their data can be used or misused by platforms and third parties. Social media literacy includes knowledge of privacy settings and the ability to make informed choices about what to share online.
Steps We Can Take Towards Balanced Media Consumption
What we should get from news is factual information. Of course, opinion pieces are also helpful to give us different viewpoints on why events have happened. However, the lines have been blurred, and it is not always easy at first glance to understand what you are reading.
Luckily, there are some tools out there to help us understand what we are seeing in our feeds, why we are seeing it, and how these articles are trying to make us feel.
I have had the pleasure of meeting and working with some of the folks behind AllSides. They have developed a pioneering platform that addresses many of the challenges associated with social media news consumption. By providing news from multiple perspectives, it promotes media literacy and helps users develop a more nuanced understanding of current events.
Here are some of the cool things AllSides does:
Breaking Down Bias
Categorising news articles according to their political leanings—left, centre, and right—allows users to see how different outlets report the same story, making it easier to identify bias and develop a balanced perspective. By presenting varied viewpoints side by side, it encourages users to think critically about the information they consume.
Fostering Critical Thinking
The platform's approach of highlighting diverse perspectives helps users to question their own biases and assumptions. This fosters critical thinking and open-mindedness, essential components of social media literacy. Challenging users to consider multiple viewpoints promotes a deeper understanding of complex issues.
Encouraging Dialogue
AllSides goes beyond simply presenting different viewpoints; it encourages constructive dialogue among users with differing opinions. The platform's discussion sections provide a space for respectful debate, helping to bridge the gap between polarised communities. This dialogue is crucial for a healthy democracy and a more informed public.
Educational Resources
In addition to news articles, the site offers a variety of educational resources aimed at improving media literacy. These resources include guides on how to spot bias, tools for analysing news sources, and tips for engaging in productive discussions, as well as an amazing new tool that helps us see how much we actually agree on and that we are not as divided as the headlines want us to believe.
Conclusion
Firstly, I’ve not been asked nor am I being paid to promote AllSides. I just love the work they are doing and think it is a great jumping-off point for social media literacy education.
It is all too easy to look at the news organisations or the algorithms and try to blame one thing for this issue. The algorithms learn our behaviours, and the media organisations learn the algorithms and how easily we are triggered and spread information.
It isn’t our fault either. Social media has changed our lives so drastically in such a short space of time that it has taken on a life of its own. But without us, it is nothing. The way we choose to use social media can help to change the algorithms, and the more proficient we all become in our social media literacy, the more we can force the media organisations to change how they present news and data to us.
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