StaffEditorial

In the current age of liking, scrolling and AI summarizing — all methods of receiving instant gratification via technology — the crucial skill of media literacy is dying.

Media literacy is the ability to critically analyze stories in the media, determine their credibility and take away an intended message. It’s the practice of interpreting and understanding, rather than skimming over or summarizing.

But with the rise of AI and powerful technology placed in the hands of mere children, the ability to think critically is becoming obsolete. 

For example, if you’ve read this far, congrats! Chances are, you’re one of the only ones.

This decline in cognitive exercise can be attributed to a number of factors. Primarily, a decline in time spent reading and overall enjoyment of reading has laid the groundwork for children, especially Gen-Z readers, to forgo chapter books for technological stimulation. 

The ability to interpret, analyze and execute stems from the crucial skill of reading. When these skills are not developed, or perhaps present a challenge for young students, an easy solution is to turn to technology for assistance.

The kneejerk reaction to reach for your device whenever a problem arises creates a widening gap in ability and media literacy. Instead of using personal problem solving, technology becomes a crutch upon which we depend. 

But this increasing dependency doesn’t seem to be ringing any alarm bells. In fact, it is perpetuated by a culture of normalcy surrounding the issue. Gen Z and younger age groups have demonstrated a disturbing contentment with the intertwining of ‘shortcuts’ in their everyday lives. 

An obvious example of these ‘shortcuts’ is using AI for a homework assignment. A less obvious example is seeking information in Tik Tok comment sections, or getting news strictly from your Instagram page.

Being media literate also means looking into sources to validate their information. Chances are, information on Tik Tok has not been screened or confirmed by reliable sources. Rather, social media allows users to broadcast opinions as facts — spreading misinformation disguised as the truth.

And when one’s social media algorithm presents opinions, disguised as facts, that agree with your opinions, they validate and inflate your point of view. This is known as confirmation bias. When we only look as far as the information that fits our narrative, we limit ourselves to single points of view. Being media literate is looking past the information presented to uncover real facts, from unbiased sources, and decide what to believe for yourself. 

However, the willingness to research biased for-you-page headlines seems to be in decline. Short attention spans, worsened by the instant gratification of a quick scroll, means that we lose interest in a story quickly. A short, punchy headline, meant to upset and grab attention, is the only thing in our minds as we scroll through our feed. 

Instead of reading an article or investigating a second source, the abbreviated version of events is all that we are willing to give our attention.

The cycle of misinformation and confirmation biases also contribute to worsening interpersonal relationships. When someone’s opinions, potentially formed with false information, are continually validated by their personalized online content, they become unwilling to listen to those whose opinions differ from theirs. The world has reached a new stage of polarization, where disagreeing with someone’s ideological differences can destroy relationships. 

While, yes, relationships may weaken as a result of moral or political disagreements, one’s beliefs should stem from researched, confirmed and personally evaluated facts — not fake, misleading or false information found online. Firmly standing by beliefs only confirmed by those who agree with them destroys the idea of compromise and finding middle ground, the basis for all relationships.

In short, a perceivable decline in media literacy has come from a number of factors, including decline in reading, accessibility of and dependency on technology and shortened attention spans as a result of social media. This decline carries serious consequences for the future, impacting our future lives and relationships.

So, what can we do to become more media literate, reclaiming the critical thinking center of our brains? Read a book! Wake up and get ready without checking your phone! Read this newspaper front to back! 

Be intentional in how you disconnect from the “crutch” of technology. When we can reduce our technology use and instead focus on the world around us, our brain finds stimulation in the ordinary. We can connect with others without needing a phone in hand, or complete homework assignments without using Google. When we are intentional with our habits, our brains can again begin to function independently.

     So if you’ve made it this far — congrats! This is a first step towards rebuilding your ability to be media literate. Your brain, and your newspaper staff, thank you.

Graphic by HannahTaylor.