If you think about it, you would never let anyone drive if they have not taken the time out to figure out how they can get some kind of a driver’s license because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up forcing them to a take a test that would more or less make it certain that no matter what else ends up happening the chances of them causing some kind of an accident would be rather low.
Just like people who have not taken a driving test are not allowed to drive, similar tests should be put in place for people that are thinking of using social media in some way, shape or form. Many would criticize this as a rather extreme measure, but most of these complaints are going to come from various social media companies who stand to gain quite a bit from users who don’t have an adequate amount of media literacy. They want the maximum number of users on their platforms, and weeding out the ones who don’t have an adequate sense of media literacy is the kind of thing that will reduce the number of users that they might have on their platform.
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that just in the same manner that a person driving without a license can be dangerous, people using social media without a fair amount of media literacy has a tendency to be extremely dangerous as well if we’re not careful. If you have any doubts that a lack of media literacy can be dangerous on social media, just look at the Capitol Riot that occurred in America just a few days ago.
The riot was caused by people not really knowing how to differentiate between things like disinformation as well as anything else that they might have been looking into. A test that can prove media literacy will be a very good way of reducing the likelihood that someone or the other would fall for disinformation, something that could make things like managing pandemics and preventing them from being so disastrous a bit easier.
This will also give people the chance to learn more about media literacy if they want to use social media. This is definitely a rather radical idea but looking at just how much disinformation is being spread these days it has become clear that only a radical solution would be able to end up getting us to a point where we can feel truly safe about the world.
H/T: FC.
Read next: Social Media Trends Report Highlights, 73 Percent of Facebook and Instagram Ad Spend Goes to Main Feeds
Just like people who have not taken a driving test are not allowed to drive, similar tests should be put in place for people that are thinking of using social media in some way, shape or form. Many would criticize this as a rather extreme measure, but most of these complaints are going to come from various social media companies who stand to gain quite a bit from users who don’t have an adequate amount of media literacy. They want the maximum number of users on their platforms, and weeding out the ones who don’t have an adequate sense of media literacy is the kind of thing that will reduce the number of users that they might have on their platform.
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that just in the same manner that a person driving without a license can be dangerous, people using social media without a fair amount of media literacy has a tendency to be extremely dangerous as well if we’re not careful. If you have any doubts that a lack of media literacy can be dangerous on social media, just look at the Capitol Riot that occurred in America just a few days ago.
The riot was caused by people not really knowing how to differentiate between things like disinformation as well as anything else that they might have been looking into. A test that can prove media literacy will be a very good way of reducing the likelihood that someone or the other would fall for disinformation, something that could make things like managing pandemics and preventing them from being so disastrous a bit easier.
This will also give people the chance to learn more about media literacy if they want to use social media. This is definitely a rather radical idea but looking at just how much disinformation is being spread these days it has become clear that only a radical solution would be able to end up getting us to a point where we can feel truly safe about the world.
H/T: FC.
Read next: Social Media Trends Report Highlights, 73 Percent of Facebook and Instagram Ad Spend Goes to Main Feeds
