DAISEREE M.

CUABO 11 - JADE

Importance of being a Media and Information

Literate Individual

In this Digital Age, media and information literacy is an essential skill for
everyone. The purpose of being a media and information literate individual is to
engage in a digital society where one needs to be able to understand, inquire, and
think critically. According to the Moscow Declaration on Media and Information
Literacy, 2012, Media and Information Literacy (MIL) is a "combination of knowledge,
attitude, skills, and practices required to access, analyze, evaluate, use, produce, and
communicate information and knowledge in creative, legal and ethical ways that
respect human rights".

It would be difficult for us living in the 21st century while being media illiterate.
We all know that media doesn't always give accurate information or we should say
false information. Media illiterate person is easily manipulated and fooled by media.
Fooled persons by the media would likely make something unpleasant reactions to a
certain twisted information because they believed unto something which is not actually
true and yes, there are person uses the media to brainwash us. This needs to stop,
we can only stop this just by thinking critically and understanding the information
provided by the media. Being information literate is important in our day to day lives to
be able to process the information. We should be knowledgeable when it comes to
media and information for ourselves’ sake. Considering that not only you can benefit
your knowledge about media and information literacy but also your peers, family and
anyone whom you are with.

Being a media and information literate can influence and change others'
perspective about a certain topic or issues through posting your thoughts and opinions
on Social Networking Sites (SNS). Your opinions and ideas may influence the netizens
either good or in a bad way. As a media literate, we must be rational in our every act
that we've done on the social media. Everything we act in social media is affiliated with
our responsibility. You need to be information literate to act in the world according to
the best knowledge available. To sum up, Media and Information literacy would turn
you into an intellectual receiver and sender of information in media and any other
platform.