Rethinking Media Literacy 2025

At the consumption stage, individuals are often exposed to misleading or deceptive content through social media, messaging apps and interpersonal discussions. Research indicates that people tend to trust and accept information shared by friends, family and colleagues, often without questioning its accuracy. To counteract this, the initiative focuses on developing critical consumption habits by teaching participants to recognize disinformation tactics, verify sources and cross-check information and analyse how algorithms, engagement metrics and virality shape the spread of false information. At the post-consumption stage, misinformation continues to exert influence, even after individuals realize it is false. This is due to the lingering effects of initial exposure, the reinforcement of falsehoods within social circles and the psychological barriers that prevent individuals from correcting misinformation. To address this, the initiative encourages participants to adopt corrective behaviours that disrupt the continued spread of disinformation. This includes initiating constructive conversations, sharing reliable sources within peer groups and establishing digital safety norms. By shifting the expectation from passive misinformation exposure to active intervention, the initiative empowers individuals to take responsibility for the accuracy of information circulating within their networks.Outcomes Think Critically, Click Wisely! has demonstrated significant success in disrupting the social spread of misinformation. Participants reported increased confidence in engaging peers and family members in discussions about digital literacy, leading to a measurable reduction in misinformation sharing within their networks. Post-intervention assessments revealed that individuals were more likely to verify information before forwarding content and more willing to engage in constructive conversations when encountering false claims. Beyond personal behaviour, the initiative fostered collective resilience, with communities adopting social norms that prioritize critical media engagement. Schools and workplaces that implemented the programme observed sustained engagement with media literacy principles, with participants continuing to practise and promote responsible digital habits. These outcomes have informed broader policy discussions on integrating social-based media literacy strategies into national digital safety frameworks, underscoring the power of interpersonal networks in combating disinformation. By embedding media literacy within everyday social interactions, this MIL interpersonal initiative ensures that critical engagement with information becomes a shared societal responsibility – one conversation at a time. 6.3 Digital citizenship curriculum The Common Sense media literacy intervention is designed to equip students and educators with the kind of critical thinking needed to engage effectively with the complexities of the modern digital world. Recognizing that misinformation and disinformation thrive in an environment of low media literacy, this initiative integrates digital literacy, digital citizenship and well-being into school curricula. By fostering both educator confidence and student engagement, the intervention aims to create a holistic learning environment where young people can critically analyse information, recognize biases and understand the ethical implications of online content. Implemented in schools in and around London and Essex by Common Sense, the intervention is grounded in research conducted by the London School of Economics (LSE). A study evaluating the programme’s effectiveness found that students demonstrated notable improvements in media literacy, misinformation detection and responsible digital behaviour after as little as six weeks of exposure.46Socio-ecological level The intervention targets the community level (students in school) but also extends beyond the classroom, fostering a broader cultural shift in how misinformation is recognized and addressed. The programme acknowledges that students do not consume or engage with digital content in isolation – parents, caregivers, educators and local communities play an integral role in shaping their digital habits and critical-thinking skills. Students who develop media literacy skills in school frequently share their knowledge with parents and caregivers, many of whom lack formal digital literacy education. This intergenerational learning was evident in the LSE’s independent evaluation, where students reported helping family members navigate misleading or dangerous content on social media, particularly on topics such as online scams, health misinformation and political disinformation. Rethinking Media Literacy: A New Ecosystem Model for Information Integrity 29