Media and Information Literacy for Public Interest Information

UNICEF/Joshua Estey Students in Cebu, Philippines take a selfie at school.

The New Digital Frontiers of Information: "Media and Information Literacy for Public Interest Information"

This year’s Global Media and Information Literacy Week theme highlights the importance of equipping people with critical thinking skills in today’s digital ecosystem. Digital platforms have revolutionized how information is created, consumed, and shared, posing new challenges in discerning reliable content.

The emergence of generative artificial intelligence further blurs the lines between human-generated and AI-generated content, requiring new skills and critical thinking. It's a pivotal moment for individuals to shape the digital spaces they inhabit and contribute to a more inclusive and resilient information ecosystem.

The 2024 Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week (24-31 October) takes place in the city of Amman in Jordan. Find out more information about the different events and register to watch them here: Global Media and Information Literacy Week Feature Conference 2024 - The new digital frontiers of information - Media and Information literacy for Public Interest Information.

Background

Media and Information Literacy for the Public Good

In 2021, the UN General Assembly decided to commemorate Media and Information Literacy (MIL) week, citing the need for the dissemination of factual, timely, targeted, clear, accessible, multilingual and science-based information. The resolution recognizes that the substantial digital divide and data inequalities that exist among different countries and within them, can be addressed in part by improving people’s competencies to seek, receive and impart information in the digital realm.

In the current ecosystem of complex and sometimes contradictory messages and meanings, it is hard to conceive of the public good being advanced, if the public is disempowered in the face of opportunities and threats. Each individual needs to be equipped with media and information literacy competencies to understand the stakes, and to contribute to and benefit from information and communication opportunities.

Global Media and Information Literacy Week, commemorated annually, is a major occasion for stakeholders to review and celebrate the progress achieved towards “Media and Information Literacy for All.”

What is Media and Information Literacy?

Our brains depend on information to work optimally. The quality of information we engage with largely determines our perceptions, beliefs and attitudes. It could be information from other persons, the media, libraries, archives, museums, publishers, or other information providers including those on the Internet.

People across the world are witnessing a dramatic increase in access to information and communication. While some people are starved for information, others are flooded with print, broadcast and digital content. Media and Information Literacy (MIL) provides answers to the questions that we all ask ourselves at some point. How can we access, search, critically assess, use and contribute content wisely, both online and offline? What are our rights online and offline? What are the ethical issues surrounding the access and use of information? How can we engage with media and information and communications technologies (ICTs) to promote equality, intercultural and interreligious dialogue, peace, freedom of expression and access to information?

Through capacity-building resources, such as curricula development, policy guidelines and articulation, and assessment framework, UNESCO supports the development of MIL competencies among people.

The New Digital Frontiers of Information: "Media and Information Literacy for Public Interest Information"

Background

Media and Information Literacy for the Public Good

What is Media and Information Literacy?

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UNESCO on MIL

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