Social media literacy: A conceptual framework

Enhancing understanding of social media literacy to better inform prevention of body image and eating disorders

Research has revealed an important role for appearance-focused, and in particular photo-based, social media in the development of body image and eating pathology. Social media literacy is a multifaceted construct involving purposeful selection and exposure to social media content and use of protective filtering (deliberately screening and interpreting information in a protective manner), as well as implementing critical skills related to understanding the unrealistic nature of social media content, limiting appearance comparisons with images, and contributing to social media (comments and images) in ways that limit the pursuit of appearance ideals. Previous work has provided partial support for these facets as related to lower levels of body image and eating concerns. However, additional conceptual and measurement work is needed to advance understanding of this protective role and how to foster social media literacy. Although data are scarce, targeting social media literacy in prevention and intervention programs may also be valuable. In this perspective piece, key features that we identify as priorities for future prevention and intervention efforts include developing interventions that target the implementation of social media skills beyond their acquisition. In addition, leveraging social media user generated content for prevention purposes would likely be useful, as would embedding micro-skill delivery within platforms.

Adolescent social media use: cultivating and constraining competence

According to self-determination theory competence is a basic psychological need that is crucial for wellbeing. Social contexts strongly influence whether competence is supported or thwarted. Given that social media is a pervasive social context within adolescents' lives, it can play a crucial role in competence development. Three qualitative methods were used to investigate mid-adolescents' perspectives of how their social media use impacts competence. Participants included 36 students aged 15 years from four Australian schools. All participants completed a rich picture mapping activity and focus group discussions. A sub-sample of 11 students participated in follow-up interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis generated two overarching themes. The first theme cultivating competence includes sub-themes; enhancing social competencies, mastery experiences and goal accomplishment, and social media expertise. The second theme constraining competence includes sub-themes; ineffectance within the social media environment, interfering with sleep, and hindering learning. Findings demonstrated that social media contributes to today's adolescents encountering unique experiences with regards to competence development. Furthermore, adolescents' interactions on social media have broad implications for competence within online and offline realms. This study identifies aspects of social media use that can be targeted to help adolescents engage with social media in ways that cultivate rather than constrain competence.

Twitter Misinformation Discourses About Vaping: Systematic Content Analysis

BACKGROUND

While there has been substantial analysis of social media content deemed to spread misinformation about electronic nicotine delivery systems use, the strategic use of misinformation accusations to undermine opposing views has received limited attention.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to fill this gap by analyzing how social media users discuss the topic of misinformation related to electronic nicotine delivery systems, notably vaping products. Additionally, this study identifies and analyzes the actors commonly blamed for spreading such misinformation and how these claims support both the provaping and antivaping narratives.

METHODS

Using Twitter's (subsequently rebranded as X) academic application programming interface, we collected tweets referencing #vape and #vaping and keywords associated with fake news and misinformation. This study uses systematic content analysis to analyze the tweets and identify common themes and actors who discuss or possibly spread misinformation.

RESULTS

This study found that provape users dominate the platform regarding discussions about misinformation about vaping, with provaping tweets being more frequent and having higher overall user engagement. The most common narrative for provape tweets surrounds the conversation of vaping being perceived as safe. On the other hand, the most common topic from the antivape narrative is that vaping is indeed harmful. This study also points to a general distrust in authority figures, with news outlets, public health authorities, and political actors regularly accused of spreading misinformation, with both placing blame. However, specific actors differ depending on their positionalities. The vast number of accusations from provaping advocates is found to shape what is considered misinformation and works to silence other narratives. Additionally, allegations against reliable and proven sources, such as public health authorities, work to discredit assessments about the health impacts, which is detrimental to public health overall for both provaping and antivaping advocates.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that the spread of misinformation and the accusations of misinformation dissemination using terms such as "fact check," "misinformation," "fake news," and "disinformation" have become weaponized and co-opted by provaping actors to delegitimize criticisms about vaping and to increase confusion about the potential health risks. The study discusses the mixed types of impact of vaping on public health for both smokers and nonsmokers. Additionally, we discuss the implications for effective health education and communication about vaping and how misinformation claims can affect evidence-based discourse on Twitter as well as informed vaping decisions.

Evaluation of a web-based randomized controlled trial educational intervention based on media literacy on preventing substance abuse among college students, applying the integrated social marketing approach: a study protocol

BACKGROUND

Substance abuse is the actual psychosocial harm, especially in young people confronted with content marketing in nowadays media environment, a risk factor for experiencing substance abuse. Based on the literature review, education designed based on the cognitive-behavioral model and planning models, such as using a social marketing framework, is the most effective method to prevent addictive substance abuse. Also, media literacy related to substance abuse and the prototype willingness model is considered a new integrated approach to present the intervention measures' desired results.

METHODS

The present study evaluates an intervention program based on media literacy on substance abuse prevention among students using an integrated social marketing approach. This study aims to complete the SMART model's sixth and seventh stages, implementing intervention and evaluation. Participants will be students of Hamadan University, Iran. Randomization will occur at the university and school levels, and gathered data will appear at two-time (i.e., pre-test and three months follow-up). Intervention group students will obtain both substance abuse prevention education and substance abuse media literacy (SAML) education between pre-test and 3 months post-test. Students in the delayed intervention will be given this education after study accomplishment; this group will receive their regular courses except for substance abuse prevention and media literacy titles during education intervention. The outcome variables are intentions and substance abuse behavior based on prototype willingness and substance abuse media literacy.

DISCUSSION

Evaluation of Substance abuse prevention and substance abuse media literacy education must be careful to ensure that they effectively enable people, especially in youth in the new media ecology and unique "Infomedia" ecosystems, in the current digital society. The SAML education plan's evaluation has the first web-based education program in universities. No prior research has psychometrically considered SAML in students in the SMART model's sixth and seventh stages.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

IRCT20200914048719N1 . Registered on June 30, 2021.

Reflections on adolescent literacy as sociocultural practice

Purpose

This paper aims to discuss the concept of “literacy” within the new literacy, new literacies and library and information science (LIS) discourses. It proposes widening the prevailing LIS conceptualization of adolescent literacy, which focuses largely on information literacy in academic settings, to a broader, information practice-based, sociocultural framing that encompasses the full range of adolescents’ everyday life contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

The author presents a literature review and personal reflection on a series of adolescent information activities to show the value of framing the LIS discourse on adolescent literacy within a broader sociocultural perspective.

Findings

Based on the discussion, the author proposes a framework for future investigations of adolescents’ literacy practices that views adolescent literacy as fundamentally social and communicative; multiformat; multicontextual; multigenerational; and culturally situated.

Originality/value

A broader sociocultural approach to the LIS information literacy discourse can lead to deeper understanding of the co-constructed and collaborative nature of adolescents’ new literacies practices. It can also enable stronger recognition of the impact of power and privilege on adolescent literacy practices. Finally, this essay shows the value of reflecting on adolescent information activities for challenging narrow views of literacy and highlights the social embeddedness of new literacies activities in adolescents’ everyday lives.

Social processes of participatory engagement effects: A longitudinal examination with a sample of young women in the United States

Participatory interventions enable active user engagement, but research is needed to examine the longitudinal mechanisms through which engagement may generate outcomes. This study investigated the social processes following a web-based participatory media literacy intervention. In this program, young women were asked to create a digital counter message against the media content that promotes risk behavior. The effects of the message production were assessed at an immediate post-test and three- and six-month follow-ups. Message production increased collective efficacy at immediate post-test, which then stimulated the sharing of self-generated messages and interpersonal conversation at three-month follow-up. These sharing behaviors, in turn, led to critical media use and negative attitude toward risk behavior at six months. Collective efficacy and sharing behavior sequentially mediated the effects of message production on outcomes. Theoretical and pragmatic implications are discussed.

Impact of Social Media News Overload on Social Media News Avoidance and Filtering: Moderating Effect of Media Literacy

In the present era of information technology, people tend to seek out news to enhance their current knowledge and awareness and to gain literacy. The reliance on seeking out news and relevant information has become very necessary to accomplish personal and organizational objectives. The present study has undertaken an inquiry to investigate the impact of social media news overload on news avoidance and news filtering with the mediating and moderating mechanisms of the need for news and media literacy, respectively. For this purpose, data were obtained from 358 Chinese social media users through the aid of survey forms. The data obtained were then analyzed through Smart-PLS software. The statistical technique used for analysis is structural equation modeling (SEM) to determine the validity of the proposed hypotheses. The results of the study indicated that social media news overload has a significant effect on news avoidance, the need for news, and news filtering behavior. It was also observed that the need for news had a significant impact on news avoidance. In addition to this, it was also revealed that the need for news significantly mediated the relationship between social media news overload and news avoidance; however, it did not mediate the relationship between social media news overload and news filtering. Lastly, it was identified that media literacy significantly moderated the relationship between the need for news and news avoidance and it did not moderate the relationship between the need for news and news filtering behavior. This study has made important theoretical contributions by advancing the current literature in terms of the empirical evidence that indicates a significant relationship between social media news overload, news avoidance, and news filtering. Practically, this study contributed by emphasizing the need to encourage and train people to use strategies to seek relevant news in a vast repository of information available through information technology.