Abstract
In the modern world, information has acquired dangerous dimensions. It is popular today and has a great impact on social media where people spread all kinds of information including fake news. Disseminating and dealing with them poses a significant challenge to media users and the media. Only a small part of the population has the ability to perceive the text critically. Consequently, they are easily caught in the trap of fake news spread by the media. An effective weapon in the fight against fake news is a citizen armed with media literacy. Media literacy is therefore of great importance as it is an essential skill for critical media analysis, evaluation, and media content creation. Without media literacy skills, a person cannot be a full-fledged citizen in the flow of information, as he or she can be a constant victim of misinformation. This circumstance creates serious threats in terms of social responsibility and protection of human rights.
TopIntroduction
The higher the degree of human media literacy, the greater the ability to see the boundary between the real world and the world created by the media. Modern man receives a lot of information every day through traditional media or internet portals he has to learn to consume it. The human being needs certain skills to see more benefits from information than harm. A media literate person is not influenced by information and does not allow the media to program his mind. Today, when in addition to the information disseminated by practicing journalists through the media, citizen journalists also cover a variety of stories. In this case, knowing the basic alphabetic truths of media literacy and understanding the social responsibility that will follow their actions is vital to these types of media sources.
Media literacy is evolving daily. A media literate person knows how and where to obtain, filter, create and release relevant information. It also can verify a reliable source. Media literacy develops critical and creative thinking in people (Chavchavadze, 1986). As early as 1999, UNESCO issued recommendations at the Vienna Conference declaring the need to support media literacy. Media literacy should be included in the national curriculum of all states as an additional, informal, and lifelong area of self-development. Media literacy is an essential part of every citizen's right to freedom of expression and information, which contributes to the process of upholding democracy (UNESCO, 1999).
Also, it is very noteworthy are the 4 key aspects of the media literacy strategy published by the BBC: Specifically, the BBC will: 1. Work in partnership to provide clear messages around benefits of emerging technologies and building digital skills and confidence of those newly online or lacking confidence. 2. Help all of our audiences develop the media literacy skills and confidence required to better understand the media environment, including how content is made, presented, and accessed. 3. Help parents and children understand and manage the risks associated with online activity. 4. Encourage audiences to experiment creatively with digital media to contribute to the BBC's output and participate in wider society and engage within and across communities of interest (BBC, 2013).
As noted in the conference materials Education for the Media and the Digital Age, media literacy is linked to all media tools and technologies. It enables people to understand how mass communication is used in society and how they use media to communicate. Media literacy provides a person with the appropriate knowledge to 1. Critically comprehend and create text; 2. Identify the sources of media texts, their political, social, commercial, cultural interests, and context; 3. Interpretation and values of texts disseminated by the media; 4. Selecting appropriate media outlets to create and disseminate their own media texts to attract an interested audience; 5. Have the opportunity to freely access the media, both for perception and for products (Baran, 2016).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Information: The primary sense of it is any message, the message that is transmitted orally, in the written way, or by other sources (conditional signals, technical means, etc.).
Fake News: False story, not true.
Media: The source of mass information (print media; broadcast media, radio, television; social media).
Media Development Fund: Was founded in April 2008 by a group of professional journalists. The main areas of the organization are freedom of speech and expression, ethical journalism and accountability; media literacy; human rights; diversity and inclusive society; gender equality; supporting youth initiatives, and civic activism. MDF is engaged in research and educational activities; carries out advocacy; conducts training, meetings, public discussions, creative competitions. It publishes educational and professional literature, produces media productions and educational campaigns, as well as mobilizes young people for civic or educational activities.
Media Literacy: A combination of knowledge and skills through which it is possible to critically understand information and make full use of media. The concept of media literacy is associated with critical and creative thinking. Media literacy is considered, on the one hand, as a tool for orienting a huge flow of information, filtering information, and, on the other hand, creating and sharing new information/knowledge.
Georgian National Communications Commission: Is the architect of the telecommunications sector, an agency independent of all branches of government that protects consumer rights, regulates broadcasting and electronic communications, ensures competition in these markets, and cares for the introduction of innovative technologies. It provides more efficient, comfortable, and timely communication for each citizen. The Communications Commission started its activities on July 1, 2000. Since 2017, the Communications Commission has been assigned by law the third most important function, namely, the development and promotion of media literacy in the country.
Media Criticism: Its main principles are reliability of information; impartiality and integrity; public interest and accountability; separation of facts and their estimation; balance; inviolability of personal life; inadmissibility of discrimination; editorial independence and credibility.