media literacy

American  

[mee-dee-uh lit-er-uh-see] / ˈmi di ə ˌlɪt ər ə si /

noun

1. the ability or skills to critically analyze for accuracy, credibility, or evidence of bias the content created and consumed in various media, including radio and television, the internet, and social media.

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Etymology

Origin of media literacy

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

media literacy

Nor will media literacy programs, stronger education about viruses, centralized hubs for medical information, “prebunking” campaigns, or community engagement programs—all good ideas from experts that still cannot meet the sheer force of our paranoia.

From Slate ● Aug. 26, 2026

But the simplest fixes are often the best, says Matthew Facciani, a researcher at the Georgetown-Lancet Commission on Faith, Trust and Health at Georgetown University who studies misinformation and media literacy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 2, 2026

“Grok is the most disturbing one to me, because so much of its knowledge base was built on tweets,” said Alex Mahadevan, director of MediaWise, Poynter’s digital media literacy project.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2025

The committee called for better media literacy education in schools, including about how algorithms work and how students can "protect themselves and distinguish fact from fiction".

From BBC ● Mar. 26, 2025

The emergence of a networked culture, accompanied by an ethic of media literacy, open discussion and direct action held the promise of a more responsive political system wherever it spread.

From Open Source Democracy by Douglas Rushkoff