Media Literacy Now

07/09/2026

What we're watching: 4WWL's Good to Know segment on . Tips on how to discern which information we can trust when we are scrolling social media.

We get some tips on how to discern which information we can trust when we are scrolling social media.

07/08/2026

#🆕 Turn your digital smarts into real-world change. Media Literacy Now is recruiting a Youth Advocacy Council (ages 15–23) cohort for September 2026 to June 2027.

Participants will:
⚖️ Build advocacy skills
🎨 Create youth-led social campaigns and toolkits
🤝 Partner with state advocates

If you are (or know of) a young person interested in flexing their civic power and advocating to ensure all young people have the opportunity to learn and develop essential media literacy skills, share this opportunity with them!

Learn more and apply ➡️ https://medialiteracynow.org/impact/coalition-building/youth-advocacy-council/

06/29/2026

The Massachusetts K-12 Graduation Council recently released its final recommendations for what a high school diploma should mean and we're pleased to see AI and digital literacy a required milestone for every graduate.

AI and digital literacy were not named in the Council's interim report, but it was elevated for the final report because residents kept asking for it through listening sessions and the statewide survey.

“Massachusetts residents asked for this, and they were specific: they want graduates who can spot misinformation and think critically about what they read,” said Kyra Brissette, MBA, CEO of Media Literacy Now. “As the state writes these new standards, media literacy belongs at the center of them. We’re ready to help get it right.”

Now comes the part that matters most. The recommendation calls for AI and digital literacy standards that, in the Council’s own words, still need to be developed. What goes into those standards will decide whether this milestone produces real competency or a box to check. We urge the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Department to make media literacy central to these standards from the start.

Massachusetts is not starting from scratch. Teachers across the Commonwealth already build media literacy into English, history, science, health, and civics, and the state has standards and educators to draw on. The foundation is here. What’s needed now is the commitment to build on it, with clear expectations and real support for teachers.

Read our full statement and the final recommendations: https://medialiteracynow.org/media-literacy-now-statement-on-massachusetts-new-graduation-requirements/

06/26/2026

We're looking forward to connecting with educators, administrators, and state and district leaders at ISTE next week! MLN's CEO, Kyra Brissette, will be there and is looking forward to presenting to ISTE's Digital Citizenship Coalition and discussing how states are strengthening digital citizenship and media literacy for students!

06/18/2026

Last year, Missouri passed a law requiring schools to ban cellphones and other personal devices during the school day — a bell-to-bell policy. A year later, teachers weigh in on what they've observed and experienced as a result.

While some are pleased and others feel the ban goes too far, what one teacher shared resonated with us —

"Students also need to be taught how to use — or not use — technology responsibly, even when they do have access to it...We need to make sure that our teachers are equipped to teach responsible use of technology. It’s not just about banning something, it should be about embracing it positively and regulating it wisely.”

💯 When it comes to school cellphone bans or classroom screen restrictions, if policies do not also include or address media literacy education they're incomplete solutions! Let's not leave students unprepared — they need guided, empowered learning — not just restrictions — to thrive in today’s digital world.

Read more:

Some appreciate the legal backup for teachers’ cellphone policies and say students are socializing more. Others think the ban goes too far.

06/09/2026

Strengthening Youth Mental Health Through Media Literacy

Today's kids are navigating an always-on digital world, consuming more information than ever before. While youth mental health is complex, teaching media literacy in schools empowers educators and parents to keep kids safe.

When students learn to think critically about the information they see online, they can navigate digital spaces thoughtfully and intentionally—building skills essential for their well-being and future success.

We're proud to be part of the Coalition to Empower Our Future, which brings together mental health experts, parents, youth, nonprofit leaders, policymakers, and other stakeholders for comprehensive conversations on the multifaceted factors contributing to youth mental health.

Media Literacy Now advances media literacy education in schools nationwide through advocacy, coalition-building, and policy change—ensuring all students can evaluate information, question what they see, and engage safely in our digital world shaped by AI and social media.

👉 Learn more about our work: https://medialiteracynow.org/
💜 Donate to support media literacy education: https://medialiteracynow.org/donate/

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06/01/2026

We recently attended the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education & CSforMA's DLCS Summit and learned how K-12 teachers and district leaders across Massachusetts are finding ways to ensure students develop essential, future-ready media and digital literacy skills.

ICYMI: Our report, Media Literacy in Massachusetts: A Landscape Scan and Policy Recommendations, outlines current practice, shares educator and expert insight, and offers concrete policy steps to strengthen media literacy statewide.

🗣️ Educators and community members made it clear: students need strong media literacy to be safe, healthy, and confident media consumers and creators.

Scroll ➡️ for key findings and recommendations.

Visit our website to dive deeper into the findings and recommendations and to download the full report: https://medialiteracynow.org/ma_dese/

05/28/2026

As schools grapple with integrating AI into classrooms, education experts are clear: the solution lies in curriculum, not technology alone. Jennifer Garner of ISTE and Yvette Renteria of Common Sense Media share what they would like to see —

Integration Over Isolation
Rather than treating AI literacy as a standalone subject, schools should weave it into existing standards across all content areas. Language arts classes already teach source evaluation—AI literacy is a natural extension.

Start Early, Start Offline
- The youngest learners can grasp AI concepts without touching devices.
- By grades 3-5, educators can demystify the technology using simple analogies.
- Middle school requires addressing parasocial relationships with chatbots.
- High school focuses on protecting critical thinking skills while preparing for AI-enabled workplaces.

At Media Literacy Now, we see AI literacy as inseparable from the broader mission of helping students navigate information, distinguish between accurate and inaccurate information, and maintain their creative and critical capacities.

Read the full K-12 Dive article here: https://www.k12dive.com/news/ai-literacy-experts-advise-viewing-the-tech-through-a-curricular-lens/820735/?utm_source=wwr.whiteboardadvisors.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=what-we-re-reading-may-20-2026&_bhlid=403226197956d31e9c8ed3985896f0d3670e4d5d

P.S. We'll be at ISTE LIVE next month in Orlando. We're eager to connect with educators and school leaders to learn how you're prioritizing media and AI literacy in your communities. See you there!

Thoughtful, age-appropriate approaches can equip students with skills needed to effectively use the technology, says ISTE+ASCD’s Jessica Garner.

05/21/2026

How do we prepare students for healthy tech habits in a world where 43% of tweens ages 8 to 12 have their own smartphone?

This Digital Well-Being Week (May 18–22), is the perfect time to spotlight a school taking action to prepare its students for today's digital world. La Jolla Country Day School in Southern California is reimagining their entire health and wellness curriculum through a media literacy lens.

Their approach? Start early, be preventative, and make it a whole-community effort. Working with teachers, counselors, and even their social media manager, they're creating a standards crosswalk that maps exactly which digital wellness competencies students need at each grade level—from 5th through 12th.

Michelle Hirschy, the school's Director of Wellness and Media Literacy Now's Health and Wellness Education Advisor, puts it simply: "How can you have conversations about healthy relationships and consent without talking about the digital world kids are actually living in?"

While not every school has the bandwidth for a full curriculum overhaul, there's low-hanging fruit everywhere—starting with updating those health lessons that haven't changed in decades.

Want to learn more? Read the full story about LJCDS's approach to integrating media literacy into wellness education ➡️ https://medialiteracynow.org/a-california-school-creates-standards-for-media-literacy-in-health-and-wellness-education/

Also, be sure to check out our database of resources, lesson plans, videos, and activities to integrate media literacy and digital wellness into the classroom. Curriculum topics include digital citizenship and online safety, the impact of social media use, education and tools for self-regulation, and discerning credible health information. ➡️ https://medialiteracynow.org/impact/digitalwellness/

05/19/2026

This Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s talk about digital wellness!

Kids’ online lives — from social media feeds and gaming to AI chats — are shaping how they feel about themselves. We asked experts working to improve youth mental health to weigh in on how digital media, media literacy, and supportive environments can strengthen young people’s well-being.

Read what they had to say ➡️ https://medialiteracynow.org/youth-mental-health-and-a-safe-healthy-digital-life-a-link-we-cant-ignore/