Enhancing Digital Medial Literacy with Lateral Reading
Dr. Laurie L. Rice and Dr. Suranjan Weeraratne
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
The results of surveys we fielded in Southern Illinois via Lucid from April to June 2023 (n=750) and national surveys fielded via YouGov in May 2023 (n=2000) identify a clear need for improved media literacy skills in Southern Illinois.
Under fifty percent of Southern Illinoisans report that it is easy or extremely easy to determine if information is slanted politically, recognize when information is being used out of context, distinguish between facts and opinions, and determine when information online is trustworthy. Meanwhile, more than forty percent of Southern Illinoisans report that it is difficult or extremely difficult to determine whether information online is trustworthy. While relatively small percentages say they have an extremely difficult time with media literacy, the percentage reporting extreme difficulty is significantly higher in Southern Illinois than nationally.
Difference in proportions for distinguishing facts and opinions significant at the p<.10 level. All others significant at p<.01.
There are also significant differences in the ability to recognize political slant.
Differences in proportions significant at p<.01
Even those with college degrees in Southern Illinois report difficulty with media literacy.
Despite this difficulty with media literacy, Southern Illinoisans recognize that radicalization is occurring online and believe that it needs to be addressed. There is support for addressing it in a variety of places including the family, online, and in schools, with Southern Illinoisans more supportive of addressing radicalization in schools compared to nationally.
What do people think? Does radicalization occur more online, or more through face-to-face, in-person contact?
Southern Illinois
Nationally
Among those who said online or both equally: where do they think radicalization is most likely?
Where do people think radicalization can be addressed most effectively?
It may be particularly important to address media literacy in Southern Illinois, because Southern Illinoisans also report more exposure to certain forms of online extremism.
Southern Illinois is more likely to report seeing some forms of extremism online
The differences in means for seeing extreme left political views are not significant. The difference for seeing hate speech is not statistically significant at the regularly level but is at the very often level. All other comparisons are significant at p<.10, with some p<.01
This includes violent extremism.
Southern Illinois is more likely to report seeing some forms of violent extremism online
Difference in proportions statistically significant for seeing calls for violence against specific groups of people very often (p<.01). Difference in proportions statistically significant for seeing calls for violence against elected officials regularly (p<.05). Difference in proportions statistically significant for seeing threats to specific individuals and seeing content praising previous mass attacks regularly and very often (p<.05).
Building media literacy skills offers one way to respond to community-identified needs and help improve community resilience to radicalization to violence.
One simple method to improve media literacy skills is to practice lateral reading. Lateral reading is a tool employed by professional fact checkers (Breakstone et al 2021; Brodsky et al 2021).
When encountering material from an unfamiliar source, such as an article shared with you on social media, before reading what it has to say, investigate the source.
Pull up your favorite web browser and type in the name of the source.
What do trusted websites and sources say about this unknown source?
If trusted websites and sources raise red flags about it, you should put your guard up and probably ignore the shared content.
We have been teaching the skill of lateral reading to college students in multiple classes. In the post-test surveys, nearly 90% of students (N=430) agreed or strongly agreed that lateral reading was a helpful strategy to enhance one’s media literacy skills.
Learn more about lateral reading.
This simple tactic of lateral reading can help you avoid being fooled by misinformation, mal-information, and disinformation and make you think twice before spreading it.
Note: The research presented here is part of a larger project funded by the Department of Homeland Security’s Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (opportunity number DHS-22-TTP-132-00-01). Analysis and opinions are those of the authors. References to organizations or websites do not imply any endorsement by DHS or the U.S. government.