The United States is in the midst of a media literacy crisis, and it's only getting worse.
Just last month, former President Donald Trump reposted images of a “Swifties for Trump” rally, “accepting” the endorsement of Taylor Swift and her fanbase. Critics eagerly pointed out that the singer has adamantly criticized Trump since his first campaign and, more importantly, the images he shared were entirely AI-generated. Trump’s ridiculous claim, while easily disproved by Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris, is telling of the rising influence of misinformation in U.S. politics.
Misinformation is not a new issue, but the past few years have seen unprecedented amounts of misleading and false claims. The pandemic, artificial intelligence and a consistent increase of internet bots have all contributed to an abundance of misinformation on nearly every internet platform. The U.S. simultaneously faces record-low trust in mass media and record-high misinformation throughout informal information sources such as social media, blogs, and podcasts — a perfect formula for an ill-informed and misled public.
This era of misinformation has shifted the structure of political debates. Disagreements are no longer defined by a difference in opinion or policies, but entirely different perceptions of reality. And it's challenging to accomplish (or even find) common goals when Americans can’t agree upon any sort of objective truth, evident by the low level of congressional progress in the past two years. Misinformation is crippling US politics throughout all levels of government, and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down any time soon. How can we stop it?
Education is a promising approach; teaching students how to critically analyze information allows them to identify false or misleading claims, especially online. But most schools haven’t yet adopted curriculums that teach students how to responsibly consume information, let alone digital information. A 2018 study of 753 middle and high school students across twelve states found that 68% of middle school students could not properly question advertising and authorship in a news source, and over 70% of high school students thought that an oil company-sponsored article on climate change was more reliable than one written in the science section of The Atlantic. Critical analysis is lacking in students of all ages throughout the nation, and there is a pressing need to address these deficiencies.
Several states have already implemented media literacy programs in public schools. California passed a bill in November of 2023 requiring these lessons in four different subject areas, joining Delaware, Texas and New Jersey. While the large-scale impacts of the programs has yet to be determined, a 2022 Stanford University study found that high school students in one district significantly improved their abilities to spot misinformation after attending media literacy classes.
Rhode Island has yet to consider adopting a similar media literacy program. Only 1 in 3 students in the state learn how to interpret news articles, and even fewer are taught to evaluate the bias or monetary incentives of news organizations. Currently, students miss out on lessons that are not only essential for future civic engagement, but also to the development of critical thinking skills.
The purpose of public education is to prepare every student for a successful adulthood, and currently, Rhode Island schools aren’t succeeding in this mission. Despite having some of the highest spending per student in the nation, Rhode Island schools fall behind neighboring states in terms of program quality, student outcomes and social mobility. There must be an intentional effort to improve and modernize the curriculum if we hope to improve student performance, and a required, universal media literacy program is the first step.
Media literacy education isn’t a fix-all, but it is a reliable commitment to the future of all Rhode Island students and the future of the United States. Well informed citizens are the foundation of American democracy, and educated youth are usually the catalyst for positive change in government. If we fail to equip students against misinformation, we risk raising a generation prone to deception. But if we empower students against misinformation, we will not only improve RI public education, but also build back a nation united in truth.
CJ Lair ’28 can be reached at craig_lair@brown.edu. Please send responses to this column to letters@browndailyherald.com and other opinions to opinions@browndailyherald.com.
