Why Is Digital Media Literacy Important to Us and Society?

By Dr. Alison Slade  |  09/09/2025

Media literacy involves knowing the difference between traditional kinds of mass communication and how communication technologies and production methods work. Media literacy is also about knowing how mass communication impacts our lives, either directly or indirectly.

Digital media literacy, however, takes media literacy a step further. It concerns the deep layering of digital networks, convergent models, and social capital strategies that collectively work to refashion the way our society functions.

Digital media literacy begs the question: How does mass media and its mediums create, disseminate, and even manipulate our knowledge and information, for good and for ill? In today’s overwhelmingly digital age, digital media literacy is important to:

• Participate effectively with new technology, especially artificial intelligence (AI)
• Evaluate information critically
• Identify misinformation
• Understand media and culture

Participating Effectively with New Technology

If you were writing a research paper in an earlier era, you would go to a library, search through a card catalog, and find the appropriate books on the library’s shelves. Now, research involves using a tablet, smartphone, or desktop computer. You might immediately begin using a search engine to perform a quick search on a single topic and access immediate, focused information.

With this type of research, you are using digital media. One search engine alone can deliver over one million results.

It’s also important to know how to determine which sources are reliable sources. Through digital media literacy programs, you can be better equipped to work with digital technologies, learn technical skills, and become familiar with online communities.

The Role of AI

The newest technology in the world of digital media is AI. AI is one of the newest communication services, and most teachers and students have access to a variety of AI platforms.

Teaching and learning about the use of artificial intelligence is becoming more prevalent in our digital world. As a result, students will need to learn the knowledge and skills to understand AI technologies and the ability to use AI effectively.

Ideally, AI skills should be integrated into a media literacy curriculum. Students will need to know how to use AI to create, learn, and conduct research in several fields.

Evaluating Information Critically

How many times per day are you exposed to new information in the media? Our digital world is full of resources, whether it’s broadcast news, the internet, streaming services, or social media.

For example, the average person is exposed to up to 10,000 advertisements each day. Each individual faces challenges in determining which media sources are based in honest reporting and create content that is truthful, fair, and balanced.

However, a strong foundation in digital media literacy can help students learn the importance of critically examining information from multiple sources. It is also useful for making more informed decisions.

Additionally, the digital age impacts children and challenges teachers to create assignments to enhance students’ experiences with digital media. Young people today are exposed to far more digital media than any previous generation, especially in regard to social media sites such as TikTok®, Twitter®, Snapchat®, Instagram®, and Facebook®.

Curriculums at all education levels should have digital media literacy education as an integral part of the education plan. Furthermore, media literacy and digital literacy are essential skills needed to be successful in both academia and business.

Identifying Misinformation

Media messages from a variety of sources surround us daily. Consequently, the ability to apply critical thinking skills is essential to filtering out information that might prove to be misleading or incorrect.

To start, it’s crucial to understand the difference between misinformation and disinformation. Misinformation is false information spread with no regard to intent.

Imagine that you tell a friend about a story you read on social media news, but you accidentally get some of the information wrong. You are not necessarily spreading false information on purpose, but this act would still be considered misinformation.

By contrast, disinformation is false information that is deliberately spread to others. It often takes the form of biased news reports or propaganda.

So, how do you put your media literacy skills to good use and learn to identify these two types of media messages? Both media literacy education and digital literacy education will help you develop critical thinking skills so that you can make more informed decisions.

Also, this education pathway encourages you to see the world through a digital filter. Even though you have access to the world at your fingertips, being a media-literate student makes a significant difference. You have the knowledge and ability to critically read the information presented to you and do your own independent research on news, narratives, and topics.

Ideally, all readers should fact-check the credibility of authors online, a process known as lateral reading. They should also use multiple sources to confirm or reject information from media sources.

Understanding Media and Culture in the Digital Age

Mass media is the main way that culture is transmitted to us. Young people are constantly exposed to not only advertisements, but also the dominant ideologies found in our society. Dominant ideology is the set of beliefs, values, and norms in a society that are most widely accepted.

For example, what does the media tell you about family structures in the United States? On 1950s TV shows, the dominant ideology was mom, dad, and children. The mom was most often portrayed as a homemaker while the dad worked outside the home to provide for the family.

Though TV is only one example of how the media act to influence our perception of current affairs, media literacy education is crucial for understanding how the Internet and digital cultures augment reality to shape communication. Teaching students how to manage their digital community in relation to society is a key factor in the literacy education process.

Digital Media Literacy Education and the Future

Media literacy and digital media literacy education is necessary to our future because digital media shapes and influences our everyday lives. Encouraging students to make informed decisions related to media and digital media literacy is vital, so that those students will gain the knowledge and skills they will need for future endeavors.

The Bachelor’s Degree in Communication at APU

For students interested in studying the various forms of communication and to become more effective communicators, American Public University (APU) offers an online Bachelor of Arts in Communication. In this academic program, students can take courses in a variety of topics, including social media and society, communication theory, and intercultural communication. Other courses include public speaking, digital tools and media in communication, and interpersonal communications.

In addition, the B.A. in Communication provides two concentrations: digital communication and media design and strategic communication. These concentrations enable students to choose the courses best suited to their professional goals.

Want more details? Visit APU’s arts and humanities degree program page.

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