LESSON 3: RESPONSIBLE USES AND PRODUCTION

OF MEDIA AND INFORMATION

LET’S US ANALYZE THIS PROBLEM!
• Media has evolved through the years making people's life easier. One of the most effective
use of media is on communication. Media plays a significant role in sharing information
across the globe. Media keeps people aware and updated on important events and
happenings. But in other hand, media also has it's advantages and disadvantages. 
• Media and Information Literate individuals can construct meaningful questions. One does
not believe easily not because of biases or preconceived notions but rather he evaluates the
information in terms of accuracy, adequacy, and appropriateness. He can discriminate facts,
opinions, assertions and blended statement that will guide him in making well-informed
decisions. Aside from being inquisitive and critical, he is open-minded in constructive
criticisms that he knows how to build an argument by agreeing or disagreeing based on the
merits of the issue. And he can communicate sensible ideas without making it too complex.
 The following issues that will challenge an individual to apply what he knows about media and how to
understand its influences in one’s identity, personal choices and decisions:
1. Plagiarism is a product of poor attitude towards learning. Moreover, it is presenting someone else's work
or ideas as your own, with or without their consent, by incorporating it into your work without full
acknowledgement. All published and unpublished material, whether in manuscript, printed or electronic
form, is covered under this definition.
Why is Plagiarism Such a Big Deal?
• Plagiarism is essentially theft and fraud committed
simultaneously. It is considered theft because the writer
takes ideas from a source without giving proper credit to the
author. It is considered fraud because the writer represents
the ideas as her or his own.
• Plagiarism is cheating, a serious form of academic
dishonesty punishable by the university/school. While the
exact consequences of plagiarism vary by institution and
severity, common consequences include: a lower grade,
automatically failing a course, academic suspension or
probation, or even expulsion.
2. Aside from not committing plagiarism, one must show intellectual respect and honesty by abiding laws
concerning media and information uses such as intellectual property law, e-commerce law, and anti-piracy
law.

Intellectual Property Law

• Intellectual Property law deals with laws to protect and enforce
rights of the creators and owners of inventions, writing, music,
designs and other works, known as the "intellectual property."
There are several areas of intellectual property including copyright,
trademarks, patents, and trade secrets.

Copyright law protects the
rights of creators in their
works in fine arts, publishing,
entertainment, and
computer software. The laws
protect the owner of the
work if others copy, present,
or display the owners work
without permission.
Trademark law protects a word, phrase,
symbol or design that is used by an entity to
identify its product or service. Examples are
Dunkin Donuts orange and pink sausage style
lettering, Apple’s apple logo, and Adidas’
three stripes. Trademark owners can prevent
others from using their marks, or marks
which are confusingly similar so that
consumers would not be able to identify the
source.
Patent law grants protection for new
inventions which can be products, processes
or designs and provides a mechanism for
protection of the invention. The patent law
promotes the sharing of new developments
with others to foster innovation. The patent
owner has the right to protect others from
producing, using, distributing or importing
the protected item. Essentially the patent is a
property right that can be licensed, sold,
mortgaged or assigned.
This Act aims to facilitate domestic and international dealings,
transactions, arrangements agreements, contracts and exchanges
and storage of information through the utilization of electronic,
optical and similar medium, mode, instrumentality and technology
to recognize the authenticity and reliability of electronic documents
related to such activities and to promote the universal use of
electronic transaction in the government and general public.
3. He/she can spot any form of stereotypes like gender or racial, bias, and oversimplified generalization. A
member of a group may be portrayed in one aspect but if this representation is attributed to all or most of
the members, then this limits the view to other people. Understanding this seemingly subtle messages
conveyed in media will help you establish positive relationship and engage in a meaningful intercultural
dialogue and interaction.
4. Every person is entitled to his or her own right to express his or her opinion. But in every right, there is a
corresponding obligation and that is to be careful and conscious of what you put into writing or what you
say so as not to create false claims, hate messages, spam, rumors, and chain letter. Respect is a fundamental
yet apparently an elusive value that needs to be practiced all the times. Learn to respect people’s privacy,
feelings and property.

5. Verifying sources is one indicator of being critical

media user. It does not necessarily mean that if a website
has an org or edu in its URL, it is already a trustworthy
site. Some would even attempt to place expert claims,
facts and figures, and even aesthetically professional
display just to implant deceit, hate or confusion to
readers.

The criteria are:

Currency: Timeliness of the information.
Relevance: Importance of the information for your needs.
Authority: Source of the information.
Accuracy: Truthfulness and correctness of the information.
Purpose: Reason the information exists.
6. Words can make or break a person. When people become mean and offensive online, this is considered a
form of harassment in the digital world which is called cyberbullying.
7. Be cautious of the propaganda or statements that may seem believable and worthy of your attention when
in fact it is meant to deceive or hide the truth to the audience. Propaganda is usually found in politics,
advertisement, speech, and the like.
Some Examples:
• Glittering generalities
• Bandwagon
• Half-truth or card-stacking
• Appeal to authority
MEDIA AND INFORMATION DESIGN
FRAMEWORK
The media and Information design framework aims as a guide in the analysis, design, development,
implementation and evaluation of pertinent media and information outputs.
Components Guide Questions
Target Audience Refers to the intended audience
Sender/Author Refers to the producer/creator of the media and information
Key Content Refers to the topic, facts, figures and others used in the media and
information
Purpose Refers to the reason, motivation or intention of the message
Form/Style Refers to presentation across the different formats guided by design
principles and elements: tone, mood, color, font types, manipulation of
space, speed, direction, balance, repetition, emphasis, movement, rhythm,
unity, contrast, hierarchy, proportion, alignment, proximity, pattern, others.

Medium/Format Refers to the format or platform used in presenting the media and
information (handwritten, blogs, presentation and others)
CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
1. Check the latest trending online post or issue you have heard in your community. What would you do
to verify its source? Where would you search for the information?
2. What other characteristics of being media and information literate can you think of? Make a checklist
of an ideal media and information literate person that you want to be.
3. What rules do you think you should live by to become a responsible media user?