Abstract
This article analyzes and critiques the tendency to frame media literacy as a neutral skill set concentrated on verifying sources, or "spotting the error." While this approach emphasizes cognitive habits of checking for bias and accuracy, it does not adequately prepare students to understand intentional misinformation as a political strategy. Building on Matthew's (2020) response to Curry and Cherner (2019), I propose that limiting media literacy to error correction hides the strategic production and intentional spread of disinformation by powerful organizations, corporations, and media outlets. Rooted in curriculum theory and the work of scholars such as Gramsci, Hall, Habermas, and Chomsky, I argue that civic education needs to move beyond technical skills toward examining power. Misinformation is not an accidental result of poor reasoning but an intentional tool to shape public opinion and protect economic or political interests. Examples from Koch-funded think tanks and PragerU illustrate how misinformation acts as a tool of hegemony.
Response to Article
Jolie C. Matthews, Media Literacy as an Internal and External Process. A Response to “Red States, Blue States, and Media Literacy: Political Context and Media Literacy”
Recommended Citation
Kendall, K.
().
Spotting Power: Reframing Media Literacy in Civic Education.
Democracy & Education,
34
(1), Article 12.
Available at:https://doi.org/10.65214/2164-7992.1777
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