Critical literacy as a countermeasure to misinformation in the social me-dia age: Review of the literature

Abstract

In the social media age, misinformation presents significant challenges to information integrity. This study explores critical literacy as a countermeasure to misinformation in the social media age, through a review of the literature. The Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) and the Message Interpretation Process (MIP) model served as theoretical framework. Articles reviewed were manually and purposively extracted from Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar and Research Gate. 36 articles in total, comprising 3 discourses, 6 literature reviews, and 17 position papers, amongst others, analysed. Results showed that critical literacy promotes analytical thinking and informed cynicism pertinent to fostering good power relations, reducing inequalities, and empowering people to effectively recognise and challenge misinformation. The study concludes that raising a generation of critically educated people may offer a solid basis for spotting misinformation, halting its dissemination, and countering its detrimental impacts. The study recommended the incorporation of critical literacy in educational curricula and public awareness initiatives to counter misinformation, particularly from a Nigerian perspective