Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Media Literacy
What is Media Literacy?
"Media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create and act using all forms of communication.
In its simplest terms, media literacy builds upon traditional literacy and offers new forms of reading and writing. Media literacy empowers people to be critical thinkers and makers, effective communicators and active citizens. " (The National Association of Media Literacy Education).
Being Media Literate
- Being literate in a media age requires critical thinking skills that empower us as we make decisions, whether in the classroom, the living room, the workplace, the boardroom, or the voting booth.
- Media literacy is the ability to encode and decode the symbols transmitted via media and synthesize, analyze and communicate..
Tools, Tips, and Source Evaluation Models
- Lateral Reading (News Literacy Project)"Lateral reading helps you determine an author’s credibility, intent and biases by searching for articles on the same topic by other writers (to see how they are covering it) and for other articles by the author you’re checking on. That’s what professional fact-checkers do."
- How to Spot Fake News (FactCheck.org & IFLA) This link opens in a new windowPDF handout developed by the International Federation of Library Associations & Institutions, referencing FactCheck.org.
- The C.R.A.A.P.O. TestThe CRAAPO Test is a list of questions to help you evaluate the information you find. Different criteria will be more or less important depending on your situation or need. The C.R.A.A.P. Test was created by Sarah Blakeslee at University of California at Chico, Meriam Library.
- Media Bias Chart 5.0 This link opens in a new windowThis chart identifies the political bias of various ONLINE PRINT news outlets. You can also use the search box to see other media sources not depicted on this chart.*
*To search by publication name, type it into the "Balanced Search" box, hit enter, then select the "News Sources" filter (Blue Box) to see detailed information about each source and its rating.
- AllSides Media Bias Methodology This link opens in a new windowLearn more about AllSides.com's methodology for rating news sources' biases.
- Media Bias/Fact Check This link opens in a new windowA non-partisan site which provides two scores for over 8000 media sources: a bias rating and a factual reporting rating. Each entry also provides information that explains or contextualizes the rating.
Media Literacy Organizations
- Association for Media LiteracyThe AML is a not-for-profit, charitable association of teachers, librarians, consultants, parents, cultural workers, and media professionals concerned with helping people develop an informed and critical understanding of the nature of media, their techniques, and their impact.
- The News Literacy Project This link opens in a new windowThe News Literacy Project, a nonpartisan education nonprofit founded in 2008, is building a national movement to create systemic change in American education to ensure all students are skilled in news literacy before they graduate high school, giving them the knowledge and ability to participate in civic society as well-informed, critical thinkers.