Youth skills in focus – empowering young people through news literacy

News Literacy Project
By Maddy McMahon, Grant Manager, Porticus 

 

If information is power, what about misinformation?

Free access to accurate information and pluralistic perspectives are cornerstones of a healthy democracy. Misinformation threatens not only our civic life but our basic human rights, and is compounding some of the biggest social and ecological challenges of our time.

“Media literacy is a civil right. Like voting. Like getting clean water. It is important for our communities to have this right,” says Alba Mendiola, a teacher at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago which serves immigrant families with limited financial means. She teaches a class in broadcast journalism in English and Spanish. “I always ask my students: ‘Do you want to be informed or do you want to be influenced? Because they are two different things’.”

Democracies function by ensuring citizens have access to objective facts from which they can inform their individual opinions and beliefs. An informed citizenry holds its government accountable by employing such information in the selection of representatives. This is why the ability to distinguish fact from fiction, and to identify credible sources in a constantly changing media and information technology landscape, is a critical skill.

News Literacy Project (NLP) is building a movement to advance news literacy across American society to create more informed, engaged and empowered citizens – and by doing so, a stronger democracy. Their vision is for news literacy to become an integral part of American life so people of all ages and backgrounds to know how to identify credible news and other information, understand the indispensable role a free press has in a democracy, and feel empower to play a more equal and active role in civic life.

The NLP team uses open-source resources to fight mis- and disinformation while providing news literacy education. In an era where anyone can publish information, and Artificial Intelligence is rapidly changing the information landscape, NLP  helps educators teach students  how to verify and fact-check claims. Their programmes include the Checkology Virtual Classroom, an e-learning programme for middle and high school teachers that champions critical thinking as the key to producing an informed, news-literate future electorate.

While young people are considered “digital natives” and can find information independently, they often lack the skills to differentiate what’s reliable and verified versus what’s intended to mislead, confuse or influence. This is why we have partnered with NLP since 2017 to teach them how to be ethical and empowered digital citizens.

“The ability to discern fact from fiction forms the basis for civic engagement and a healthy democracy. We, as individuals, have not only the ability but the responsibility to push back against dis- and misinformation,” says Charles (Chuck) Salter, NLP President and Chief Executive Officer.

With a non-partisan, evidence-based approach, NLP’s goal is to teach how to analyse sources of information  - how to think about news, not what to think about news.

Ana Sesma, a high school student in Georgia, says that news literacy skills help her navigate an often-confusing information landscape and evaluate any biases in coverage. “I believe it is my responsibility to take these lessons and apply [them] to all the media I am consuming, so when I am trying to learn more, I have nearly all perspectives on the topic.” 

As well as focusing on civic engagement among young people, the team is expanding its reach to include the general public of all ages, especially the frequent targets of disinformation. These groups include older adults, Black communities, Spanish-speakers, veterans, and rural communities that can be considered news deserts – places with limited or no access to local news coverage. NLP reaches these communities through partnerships with trusted organizations, podcasts that help explain the information landscape, and public information campaigns that include tips for spotting misinformation in radio and television ads.

NLP has partnered with public schools across the USA since 2008 and aims to increase uptake of their educator resources in communities that have made news literacy instruction a priority, while also advocating for more US states to make it a requirement for high school graduation. Only four US states currently require news literacy instruction, under the umbrella of broader “media” or “information” literacy efforts.

We share Ana’s vision that everyone should have the opportunity to gain the skills she’s acquired. “I would hope when people are looking at posts or looking at any media, that they take a second to critically think and take a second to say, ‘Okay, what is the truth in this?’”

Through our partnership with News Literacy Project, we are fostering a healthy information environment that enables changemakers to pursue truth-based systems within societies that work for everyone.