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Media Literacy in the U.S.

Alex Mahadevan

Director | MediaWise

Innovation and research to bolster misinformation resilience

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MediaWise

MediaWise is a digital media literacy initiative led by The Poynter Institute. Its mission is to teach anyone how to sort fact from fiction online.

We inform, educate and innovate.

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The Challenges

National misinformation narratives are trickling down to local communities
Lack of resources and skills make it difficult for local new outlets to respond
More than 70% of people not confident they can spot misinformation*

*Coming Poynter/MediaWise/Morning Consult study

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The Challenges

Polarization at the local and national level makes engaging new audiences very difficult
Trust in public education is under threat
Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing information ecosystem

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Prescription for Treatment

Must circumvent traditional educational systems — or look for creative ways to cooperate
Expand research opportunities through academic grants, partnerships, etc.
Continue to lobby for media literacy education in schools
Partner with media companies

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The Direct-to-Consumer

Media Literacy Solution

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MediaWise Teen Fact-Checking Network

What: Digital newsroom made up of teens
Why: Peer-to-peer learning shows promise
How: Experiment with formats and claims
Impact: More than 100 million reached

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Be MediaWise Lesson Plans

What: Alternative formats
Why: Build on TFCN to reach new audiences
How: Packaged fact-checks with lessons and in a magazine format
Impact: More than 50,000 teachers reached

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MediaWise for All

What: WhatsApp, YouTube, online courses, MediaWise ambassadors
Why: Reach new audiences
How: Partnerships with influencers and news orgs
Impact: More than 10 million reached

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Bringing it All Together With Academic Research

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Create Media Literacy Content

Study Efficacy and Uptake

Scale to Reach Millions

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Empowering Diverse Digital Citizens Lab

What: Incubator to study WhatsApp, YouTube, TikTok and online course efficacy
Why: Iterate and scale effective media literacy resources
How: Partnership with Stanford; Tech funding and participation
Impact: 20 %-point increase in skills

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From Around the U.S.