Among the many reasons for weakening democracy around the world is “the profound change that’s taking place in how we communicate and consume information,” warns former President Obama.

While Americans increasingly get their news online (50% through social media), roughly two-thirds of middle and high school students in a Stanford study lacked the media literacy skills to distinguish between news and advertisement. Moreover, new AI technologies are accelerating the spread of misinformation and disinformation on the internet. As a result, public trust in mainstream media, science, and democratic institutions continues to erode. A recent Gallup poll found that only 34% of Americans trust the accuracy of news reporting, with 70% of Democrats trusting the media compared to only 14% of Republicans. This partisan divide in levels of trust reflects the political polarization threatening our democracy today. 

Media literacy is key to rebuilding the trust that underpins democracy. It’s no coincidence that Finland, which ranks first in media literacy among European countries, also ranks among the top democracies in the world. In line with Finland’s multi-institutional strategy, we need the combined efforts of schools, libraries, and local news outlets to engage people of all ages with media literacy and democracy.  

Schools play an important role in teaching media literacy from preschool up through college. Teachers must equip students with critical thinking skills to assess the reliability of information on digital platforms. When Illinois became the first state to require media literacy in public schools in 2021, an effective strategy learned from the pilot year was to integrate media literacy skills across multiple subjects (e.g., math, science, history), instead of as a standalone lesson.  

Libraries have always had a role in promoting literacy, and with the digital revolution, literacy is media literacy. Libraries serve a broad spectrum of society, including parents trying to navigate and support their children’s media consumption, older adults unfamiliar with digital technologies, and community members lacking access to quality media and civic education. Librarians can organize workshops, discussion groups and education campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of media literacy. 

Lastly, local news outlets can play a critical role in supporting media literacy and democracy. Independent journalists are rooted in the community, engage directly with community members and cover relevant, local news with more reliable sources, fostering a greater level of trust among Americans than national news. In fact, research shows that when local news outlets shut down, trust and civic participation in the region declines. Local journalism is under less pressure to draw clicks and views and can thus focus on positive stories, diverse voices and shared experiences, resulting in greater empathy, trust and democratic engagement.  

While we may never completely eradicate bad information, media literacy can protect us from being misled or manipulated. We must thereby rely on age-old institutions – our schools, libraries and local news – to equip people, young and old, with the literacy skills, knowledge and confidence to navigate the complicated media landscape and address the current crisis of trust in our democracy. 

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