Associate Professor of Communication, Popular Culture and Film, Jennifer Good wrote a piece published Monday, June 10 in The Conversation about how media literacy should become a fundamental component of education through all levels of schooling.

Good writes:

From fictitious organizations posting polarizing messages on Facebook to robustly researched news stories being labelled “fake,” the pervasive power and importance of the media are clear. 

And yet what is most concerning is not that fictitious stories are being shared as “real” and well-researched stories are labelled “fake.” Rather, the biggest problem is the lack of stories about how to thoughtfully address the situation not only through media regulation but also through education.

By focusing on media challenges one at a time as they arise, an opportunity is being missed to address the media’s messages and power systemically. Instead, in something akin to a “whack-a-mole” game, problems with social media are treated as isolated issues that keep popping up.

Continue reading the full article here.