By: Abraham Ong’uti
It is crucial to note that nowadays technology has changed how people live globally and led to transformation of societies. The time and the extent of exposure in the internet has impacted the media and digital literacy to continue gaining a lot of significance. Many people out information online that considerably spreads wisely across borders. This also calls for a counter knowledge in verifying the right and wrong information so that not to mislead the public. Social media has resulted to generation of different ways of shaping communities, in aspects of families, work and even political participations.
With the rise in content creation competitiveness, the online users are tempted to give quick information that is not verified for engagements. For the purpose of trending others are doing immoral contents to get likes. Surprisingly not only being consumed passively, but there is a number of young people who access the smartphones at an earlier age hence being exposed to complex messages that they cannot analysis with less literacy. The interaction with peers has led to the young people’s in social media increase and consequently they need to learn the concepts of verifying information credibly. For instance university students use an average of 20 hours a week being online.
According to reports, more than 98% of individuals interviewed show that they have a presence on the social media platforms. In order to have a global society through this digital platforms that connect people globally, social media algorithms must be regulated not to push messages that carry negativity due to high engagements. These users can manipulate photos to spread a positivity biases which in turn impact the intended consumers. Literacy is important since it will reduce the dissemination of false and intentionally misleading information, with the skills verification will a priority hence a descent global village. To give an example, body photos have been manipulated on the internet for body satisfaction which has made young women desire cosmetic surgeries.
Through social media, those with the literacy skills will enhance them in posting productive and positive contents. It can be a source of income if well utilized, fostered friendships and reduced loneliness. Learning competences for the use of these Internet platforms are particularly relevant since they include social and ethical aspects and technical skills. Individuals must have knowledge on the ability to sensitize, analyse and evaluate information with the specifically intended results.
During the COP29 Climate Change summit in Baku, Azerbaijan different angles of information about the meeting went through the internet focusing on certain interests. For instance the President of America Donald Trump not being a climate change believer, will also make those with the same feeling to counter the noticeable changes of the climate hence misleading the social media users. But with the users having media and digital literacy skills then they will easily evaluate and make decisive judgements. Social media also facilitated people all over the world to keenly follow the summit all through. Having knowledge on how people from different cultures frame their messages is essential to avoid uncertainty responses.
Then as social media users interact with their friends across the world should be able to do analysis, understanding, evaluation and proper interpretation and taking into account the motive, credibility and purpose of the published information. Social media is full of huge data from different sources globally and it requires critical thinking to understand the implications of sharing personal data more especially from the user generated information. To perform well on the digital platforms, technical skills are required in the ability to create, review, accessing information, use of private settings on ones accounts and sharing of contents. All these can also considerably achieved through raising awareness.
Communication and Media Student at Rongo University.
