Crime & Police
Money Stuff
Health & Sexuality
Legal Life Skills
Driving
Family
Work & School
Housing
Basic RightsDigital Literacy 101: How to Think for Yourself Online
Last Reviewed:
Reviewed By:
Being digitally literate doesn't mean being cynical about everything — it means pausing long enough to ask questions before you believe, share, or react. That pause is your superpower.
Are you digitally literate??
Do you…
- Pause and think before reposting something that could be misleading just because it is viral
- Notice when a post brings out a big emotion in you like anger. Big emotions mean big interactions.
- Question the motives of political tiktoks/ Instagram posts/ AI generated content…
- Understand that algorithms are built to favour attention over accuracy. Algorithms push whatever gets the most engagement, which is often the most shocking eye-catching posts that might be dramatized or inaccurate.
- Recognize that YOU can unintentionally spread harm/ be manipulated into believing a certain narrative online!
CONGRATULATIONS you are well on your way to digital literacy.
Legal Lingo
Digital literacy means using your critical thinking skills and being able to assess the credibility, intent, and impact of what you see online before believing it, sharing it, or acting on it.
Why does it matter?
For youth, digital literacy is not just optional but an actual civic responsibility of developing the ability to critically evaluate information before believing it or sharing it online in such a virality driven day and age.
Digital literacy and the ability to use critical thinking skills online is important since it protects you from manipulation and allows you to think for yourself.
What can propaganda and manipulation look like online?
Here is a real life and recent example:
So, you see a viral video or post saying something shocking or something that seems to agree or reinforce an opinion you already hold…
A digitally literate person would:
- Check if major, credible news outlets are reporting it
- Look up the actual bill / legislation
- Identify whether the account is credible (some news channels might have their own social media accounts, or poster may have linked a source in the caption of the post to check out)
- Consider whether the post is emotionally manipulative
It’s always important to verify before you believe what you see online and spread information! But how can you spot misinformation and propaganda?
Try the SIFT strategy
Stop:
Ignore the virality and don’t share the post/interact just yet! It’s time to reflect.
Investigate the source:
who created this post? Is it posted by a reputable/respected media outlet? Is it posted by an individual with solid expertise in the subject, and might they have any biases? Is it posted by a business or organization, and if so what do they do/sell? Who funds them? Do they lean anywhere politically?
Find better coverage:
Check online if there’s any credible sources reporting the same information you saw, and if what they’re saying is verified/confirmed.
Trace claims to the original source:
Who said it first? Was the information cherry-picked/taken out of context? What’s the full story?
Keep an eye out for propaganda techniques
- Emotional language (fear, anger, outrage)
- Painting the picture as “us vs them”
- Oversimplifying complex issues
- Cherry-picked statistics/ information taken out of context
- Lack of credible sources
Get help
If any content/ posts you see online turn out to be misinformation/propaganda, you can always report directly on the platform! For instance, on Instagram you click the 3 dots in the top right and on tiktok you can hold down on the video and then select the “report” option. If it affects students, it's best to directly notify school administration.