In our increasingly digitalized world, declining trust in traditional news media, a rise in disinformation coupled with the frequent use of the internet for news sources without proper understanding, means that millions of users and consumers often take for granted what is reliable and trustworthy. The American Literacy Association (ALA, 2021) defines digital literacy ‘as the ability to communicate, find, and evaluate information’, a notion which is of utter importance to the present and future generations of global society. In addition, understanding the technology and platforms we use can better equip and protect us  as it evolves.

Literacy is commonly associated with reading and writing skills, and can be a key measure of the educational levels in a given society. Digital literacy expands this to technical and cognitive skills, such as knowledge of digital tools and technologies, critical thinking and awareness, and how to communicate and engage with others on social media. We now live in a world where we not only consume, there is an interactive process at play where we use these tools to access, share, like, or create new materials within these online spaces. Due to the availability of smartphones, computers, and tablets, as well as the variation in platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, or Snapchat. Many are familiar with these technologies but this does not mean they are digitally literate, take for instance the case of the communications director of a company who was fired for a racist tweet in 2013. You would expect that the communications director of a firm would at least have some rudimentary knowledge of how communications and PR functioned in the digital space, but apparently not. Hopefully since then, she has not only brushed up on her digital literacy skills, but also how to become a better and more well-rounded person. What this example tells us is that digital literacy is necessary not only for the children of today and tomorrow, but also for people of all ages, backgrounds and professions. 

The technical angle

The World Literacy Foundation (WLF, 2021) gives examples of digital literacy such as checking emails on the phone, using online searches to find information, source checking, and creating an online profile on a social media platform. I would expand the technical knowledge to include some basic cybersecurity principles since our activities and our data is embedded within the online world. The majority of website and profile hacks occur due to weak password protection, by using simplified passwords such as Orange1234, or by using the same password on multiple platforms. Therefore it is imperative that you build strong passwords that consist of lowercase and uppercase letters, numbers and symbols. This can be made easier by using a password manager which come in both paid options, or open-source alternatives such as KeePass, helping both to create strong passwords and mange them. In addition, another layer of security to use can be two-factor verification (2FA), which now is offered by most banks and social networks for instance, which come in the form of an SMS or phone call. Moreover, there are also hardware options such as YubiKey which is compatible with a wide range of services. 

Another useful tool is a Virtual Private Network (VPN), usually available as a software service which increases your security and protects privacy online. Technically it does this by concealing the origin as well as well the information of the device you are using, as well as affording your data to be encrypted and protected as it is transmitted from one point of the internet to another. Besides your home or cellular usage, it is especially relevant when using public networks such as cafes or school networks and can be used on multiple devices. It is also useful to access certain websites that may be regionally locked, and therefore bypass those filters. Despite the obvious benefits, there are cons  such as lower connection speeds, unexpected drops, illegal in some countries, as well as blocked by some service providers. There are paid or free versions, with various pros and cons so check around and compare if it is something useful for you.

Assessing false information

You may be familiar with friends or acquaintances on your social media networks sharing news article that  despite catchy and emotional headlines and material, contain misleading or false information. False information is ‘news, stories, or hoaxes created to deliberately misinform or deceive readers’ (Webwise, 2021). This kind of material usually has one or several aims such as pushing political agendas, influencing the views of others, and can be quite profitable for publishers, and may also be posted on websites which may appear to be legitimate and look similar to trusted sources. You may be familiar with a closely associated  buzzword,  ‘fake news’, which typically refers to political news stories, and it’s usage typically is politically laden and has been used by one to invalidate the points of the other. So although the terms are related, it is important to understand this distinction. It is not surprising then that the increased online interconnection, the lack of understanding of how the digital world works, and information overload has contributed to the sharing and increase of false or misleading information being shared by people. Studies show that false information (like gossip) is more likely to go viral (the rate at which it is shared) due to the amount of clicks and shares it gets, and the material contained within.

Webwise (2021) outlined 6 facets of false information:

1. Clickbait: Deliberately concocted articles with sensationalist headlines with the aim of getting more visitors to the website and creating more advertising revenue for website publishers.

2. Propaganda: Misleading articles and stories which promote biased or politically laden views.

3. Satire: False stories for parody and entertainment, that can be very funny to read, and inadvertently sometimes are shared by people who believe them. 

4. Shoddy Journalism: Published content by reputable journalists or news organizations which has unreliable or unchecked information which can mislead readers or viewers.

5. Misleading Headlines: Articles or stories which are not completely false but are headlined with sensational or misleading headlines, which increases the rate of how they are spread on social media.

6. Skewed/Biased News: People tend to be drawn to material that confirm their beliefs, and false news (as well as hoaxes) tend to draw on this. Moreover, social media algorithms usually display personalized feeds for us based on what it thinks we like based on previous clicks, shared material, and searches. I recommend the Netflix documentary ‘the Social Dilemma’ (2020) which is quite comprehensive and graphic in how this and the other 5 points function.

Another relevant and advanced visual form of deception is a ‘deepfake‘; a fake video or image which is computer-created and may consist of face or atmosphere swapping which illustrate actions, events, or statements which have not occurred. This are harder to assess, and will only become more advanced through our technological evolution.

Before you share

Webwise (2021) presents 6 points for evaluating online material.

• Look closer at the material: Check the source, do you recognize the website/publisher, and is it credible?
• Look past the headline: Check the whole article, often headlines can be misleading.
• Check sources: Are other credible news and media reporting the story? Are there any sources? If there are, check them. 
• Check facts: Deliberately false stories usually contain altered timelines and skewed facts. Check the publishing date if is it a current or past news story. You can find fact-checking sources on my resources page.
• Check your bias: This means that you observe how your beliefs and views affect your perception of the article or story.

The Educational Curriculum of the future

Personally, I believe digital literacy revolving the technical, cognitive and behavioral aspects should be integrated within the educational curriculum in the earliest possible point within the elementary or primary levels of schooling across the globe. This could be done in a simplified fashion which could advance through the school levels for example. This will prepare children of today and tomorrow for the increasingly digitalized technological world that not only awaits them, but one they are already actively participating in. This is not only helpful for preparation purposes, but also to counter issues of engagement such as cyber-bullying, online shaming and electronic addiction.  At the same time we must remember that although we have made great advances in general literacy levels globally, that large inequalities are present in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa compared to other places. The implication of this for future endeavors of education whether it is national, regional, local or NGO initiatives in those regions means that it could be easier integrated along with other aspects of the general educational curriculum.