Combating Fake News: Critical Literacy Skills Essential in Digital Era

In an era where digital information floods our daily lives, the challenge of misinformation has emerged as a critical threat to social inclusion and democratic participation. Experts now argue that everyone bears responsibility in addressing the “fake news” phenomenon, with critical literacy skills becoming essential tools for navigating today’s complex information landscape.

“The extent to which misinformation can undermine opportunities to access, express and share information legitimizes concerns about fake news,” notes Gianfranco Polizzi, PhD Researcher in the Department of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

Critical literacy—the ability to question information, authority, and power—has become increasingly crucial as our engagement with information moves online. However, Polizzi emphasizes that traditional critical thinking skills alone are insufficient in the digital age. Understanding digital features, design elements, and the internet’s production and consumption processes are equally important components of what he calls “critical digital literacy.”

Since 2017, the UK Government has been gathering evidence on fake news, collaborating with media experts, academics, and educators. Similarly, the All-Parliamentary Group on Literacy, working with the National Literacy Trust, has been collecting data on the issue.

Addressing the misinformation crisis requires a coordinated approach involving multiple stakeholders, each with distinct responsibilities.

Parents face the challenge of balancing protection of their children from online risks while allowing them to pursue digital opportunities. Many parents lack high levels of digital expertise themselves, yet can learn alongside their children, creating household knowledge-sharing about internet usage and evaluation of online content.

The education system plays a critical role in fostering critical literacy. While subjects like Media Studies offer valuable tools for critical engagement with digital information, they are typically only available at GCSE and A level in the UK. Core subjects such as English, History, Citizenship, and Computing also contribute to developing critical thinking skills.

“A revised national curriculum which acknowledges the cross-discipline nature of critical literacy, yet without dispersing its value across different subjects, is essential in supporting teachers,” Polizzi argues.

Journalists and news providers bear heightened responsibility in an age when misinformation spreads rapidly through digital channels. Ethical journalism—characterized by rigorous fact-checking, respect for editorial standards, and balanced reporting—has never been more important. However, even credible sources can be distorted and disseminated as fake news via social media platforms.

Social media companies have begun taking steps to address the issue. Facebook has implemented an algorithm to flag suspicious stories for fact-checking by organizations like Snopes and Politifact, demoted questionable content in users’ feeds, and worked to eliminate fake accounts. Twitter, meanwhile, has maintained it does not assess content truthfulness.

These measures face significant challenges, including the platforms’ limited accountability for copyright infringements that result in fake news, and the difficulty of identifying underage users who circumvent age restrictions.

Academics provide crucial expertise in understanding the complex nature of misinformation. “Not only is further research needed, but academics also need to better communicate with sections of the public that are skeptical of expertise,” Polizzi notes.

Policymakers hold the ultimate responsibility of representing all stakeholders in this issue. Polizzi offers several recommendations for government action, including supporting parents and teachers with resources for promoting critical literacy, strengthening the national curriculum’s approach to critical thinking, holding social media companies accountable for facilitating fake news dissemination, and funding additional research.

The challenge extends beyond simple misinformation. We live in what has been called a “post-truth” era, where fiction and fact blur not only due to lack of critical literacy and the amplifying power of digital media, but also because of widespread distrust in expertise, media, politics, and institutions.

“Fighting fake news and promoting critical literacy through different actors are priorities in the digital age,” Polizzi concludes. “As the problem of post-truth encompasses different related issues, perhaps these priorities will soon need to be addressed more holistically.”