Abstract
The concept of media literacy has developed into a sophisticated and dynamic field which attracts researchers from social science disciplines including communication and education. Multiple scholars have tried to define media literacy, but their definitions show both disciplinary viewpoints and changing communication requirements. The emergence of new media and multimodal communication requires a redefinition of current media literacy frameworks. This research conducts a systematic review of media literacy and new media literacy research to identify major similarities and differences and emerging trends through qualitative analysis of academic studies. The article examines the educational aspects of social media through multiple academic disciplines. Social media literacy requires immediate attention, yet experts disagree about the essential principles needed to develop educational programs. The main difference between traditional media literacy and new media literacy lies in their focus on content analysis versus user-generated content creation. The research provides a fresh understanding of social media literacy by identifying both commonalities and distinctions between media literacy and social media literacy.
Ethical Statement
This study has been conducted in accordance with all ethical standards, with sources properly cited, and informed consent obtained in cases involving human participants, ensuring confidentiality and anonymity
Supporting Institution
There are not any supporting institutions
References
- Aufderheide, P. (1993). Media literacy: A report of the National Leadership Conference on Media Literacy. Aspen Institute. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED365294
- Binark, M., & Bek, G. M. (2010). Eleştirel medya okuryazarlığı: Kuramsal yaklaşımlar ve uygulamalar (2nd ed.). Kalkedon Yayınları.
- Buckingham, D. (1998). Media education in the UK: Moving beyond protectionism. Journal of Communication, 48(1), 33–43. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1998.tb02735.x
- Buckingham, D. (2003). Media education: Literacy, learning and contemporary culture. Polity Pr.
- Bulger, M., & Davison, P. (2018). The promises, challenges, and futures of media literacy. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 10(1), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.23860/JMLE-2018-10-1-1
- Center for Media Literacy. (1999). Media literacy resources. https://ddmedia.com.au/cml/
- Chen, D. T., Wu, J., & Wang, Y. M. (2011). Unpacking new media literacy. Journal of Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics, 9(2), 84–88.
- Connolly, S. (2025). An incomplete recontextualisation? Media literacy, policy and the school curriculum. Media Education Research Journal, 13(1), 13–29.
- Couldry, N. (2012). Media, society, world: Social theory and digital media practice. Polity Press.
- Curran, J., Gurevitch, M., & Woollacott, J. (2005). The study of the media: Theoretical approaches. In J. Curran, M. Gurevitch, & J. Woollacott (Eds.), Culture, society and the media (pp. 6–25). Routledge.
- Fuchs, C. (2014). Digital prosumption labour on social media in the context of the capitalist regime of time. Time & Society, 23(1), 97–123. https://doi.org/10.1177/0961463X13502117
- Hobbs, R. (1998). The seven great debates in the media literacy movement. Journal of Communication, 48(1), 16–32. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1998.tb02734.x
- Hobbs, R. (2021). Media literacy in action: Questioning the media. Rowman & Littlefield. İnal, K. (2009). Medya okuryazarlığı el kitabı (1st ed.). Ütopya.
- Jenkins, H. (2009). Confronting the challenges of participatory culture: Media education for the 21st century. MIT Press.
- Lau, J. (2013). Conceptual relationship of information literacy and media literacy. In Conceptual relationship of information literacy and media literacy in knowledge societies (p. 76). UNESCO.
- Leavis, F. R., & Thompson, D. (1933). Culture and environment: The training of critical awareness. Chatto & Windus.
- Lin, T.-B., Li, J.-Y., Deng, F., & Lee, L. (2013). Understanding new media literacy: An explorative theoretical framework. Educational Technology & Society, 16(4), 160–170.
- Livingstone, S. (2018, May 8). Media literacy-Everyone’s favourite solution to the problems of regulation. LSE Media Policy Project Blog.
- Lund, B. D., Agbaji, D., & Teel, Z. A. (2023). Information literacy, data literacy, privacy literacy, and ChatGPT: Technology literacies align with perspectives on emerging technology adoption within communities. Human Technology, 19(2), 163–177.
- Manca, S., Bocconi, S., & Gleason, B. (2021). “Think globally, act locally”: A glocal approach to the development of social media literacy. Computers & Education, 160, Article 104025.
- Masterman, L. (1997). A rationale for media education. In R. Kubey (Ed.), Media literacy in the information age: Current perspectives (pp. 1–28). Transaction Publishers.
- Media Literacy Project in Japan. (1999). Media literacy project. http://ritsumei.ac.jp/kic/so/seminar/ML/index-e.html
- Messaris, P. (1998). Visual aspects of media literacy. Journal of Communication, 48(1), 70–80. Potter, W. J. (2010). Media literacy (5th ed.). Sage Publications.
- Potter, W. J., & Thai, C. (2019). Reviewing media literacy intervention studies for validity. Review of Communication Research, 7, 38–66. https://doi.org/10.12840/ISSN.2255-4165.019
- Scharrer, E., & Zhou, Y. (2022). Media literacy and communication. In Oxford research encyclopedia of communication. Oxford University Press.
- Silverblatt, A., & Eliceiri, E. M. E. (2007). Dictionary of media literacy. Greenwood Press. Şahin, A. (2018). Eleştirel medya okuryazarlığı. Anı Yayıncılık.
- Stojanović, D. (2016). Metapismenost [Doctoral dissertation, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek]. Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
- UNESCO. (2013). Media and information literacy: Policy and strategy guidelines. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000225606
- UNESCO. (2021). Media and information literacy. https://www.unesco.org/en/media-information-literacy
Abstract
The concept of media literacy has developed into a sophisticated and dynamic field which attracts researchers from social science disciplines including communication and education. Multiple scholars have tried to define media literacy, but their definitions show both disciplinary viewpoints and changing communication requirements. The emergence of new media and multimodal communication requires a redefinition of current media literacy frameworks. This research conducts a systematic review of media literacy and new media literacy research to identify major similarities and differences and emerging trends through qualitative analysis of academic studies. The article examines the educational aspects of social media through multiple academic disciplines. Social media literacy requires immediate attention, yet experts disagree about the essential principles needed to develop educational programs. The main difference between traditional media literacy and new media literacy lies in their focus on content analysis versus user-generated content creation. The research provides a fresh understanding of social media literacy by identifying both commonalities and distinctions between media literacy and social media literacy.
Ethical Statement
Acknowledgement Due to the scope and method of the study, ethics committee permission was not required.
References
- Aufderheide, P. (1993). Media literacy: A report of the National Leadership Conference on Media Literacy. Aspen Institute. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED365294
- Binark, M., & Bek, G. M. (2010). Eleştirel medya okuryazarlığı: Kuramsal yaklaşımlar ve uygulamalar (2nd ed.). Kalkedon Yayınları.
- Buckingham, D. (1998). Media education in the UK: Moving beyond protectionism. Journal of Communication, 48(1), 33–43. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1998.tb02735.x
- Buckingham, D. (2003). Media education: Literacy, learning and contemporary culture. Polity Pr.
- Bulger, M., & Davison, P. (2018). The promises, challenges, and futures of media literacy. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 10(1), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.23860/JMLE-2018-10-1-1
- Center for Media Literacy. (1999). Media literacy resources. https://ddmedia.com.au/cml/
- Chen, D. T., Wu, J., & Wang, Y. M. (2011). Unpacking new media literacy. Journal of Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics, 9(2), 84–88.
- Connolly, S. (2025). An incomplete recontextualisation? Media literacy, policy and the school curriculum. Media Education Research Journal, 13(1), 13–29.
- Couldry, N. (2012). Media, society, world: Social theory and digital media practice. Polity Press.
- Curran, J., Gurevitch, M., & Woollacott, J. (2005). The study of the media: Theoretical approaches. In J. Curran, M. Gurevitch, & J. Woollacott (Eds.), Culture, society and the media (pp. 6–25). Routledge.
- Fuchs, C. (2014). Digital prosumption labour on social media in the context of the capitalist regime of time. Time & Society, 23(1), 97–123. https://doi.org/10.1177/0961463X13502117
- Hobbs, R. (1998). The seven great debates in the media literacy movement. Journal of Communication, 48(1), 16–32. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1998.tb02734.x
- Hobbs, R. (2021). Media literacy in action: Questioning the media. Rowman & Littlefield. İnal, K. (2009). Medya okuryazarlığı el kitabı (1st ed.). Ütopya.
- Jenkins, H. (2009). Confronting the challenges of participatory culture: Media education for the 21st century. MIT Press.
- Lau, J. (2013). Conceptual relationship of information literacy and media literacy. In Conceptual relationship of information literacy and media literacy in knowledge societies (p. 76). UNESCO.
- Leavis, F. R., & Thompson, D. (1933). Culture and environment: The training of critical awareness. Chatto & Windus.
- Lin, T.-B., Li, J.-Y., Deng, F., & Lee, L. (2013). Understanding new media literacy: An explorative theoretical framework. Educational Technology & Society, 16(4), 160–170.
- Livingstone, S. (2018, May 8). Media literacy-Everyone’s favourite solution to the problems of regulation. LSE Media Policy Project Blog.
- Lund, B. D., Agbaji, D., & Teel, Z. A. (2023). Information literacy, data literacy, privacy literacy, and ChatGPT: Technology literacies align with perspectives on emerging technology adoption within communities. Human Technology, 19(2), 163–177.
- Manca, S., Bocconi, S., & Gleason, B. (2021). “Think globally, act locally”: A glocal approach to the development of social media literacy. Computers & Education, 160, Article 104025.
- Masterman, L. (1997). A rationale for media education. In R. Kubey (Ed.), Media literacy in the information age: Current perspectives (pp. 1–28). Transaction Publishers.
- Media Literacy Project in Japan. (1999). Media literacy project. http://ritsumei.ac.jp/kic/so/seminar/ML/index-e.html
- Messaris, P. (1998). Visual aspects of media literacy. Journal of Communication, 48(1), 70–80. Potter, W. J. (2010). Media literacy (5th ed.). Sage Publications.
- Potter, W. J., & Thai, C. (2019). Reviewing media literacy intervention studies for validity. Review of Communication Research, 7, 38–66. https://doi.org/10.12840/ISSN.2255-4165.019
- Scharrer, E., & Zhou, Y. (2022). Media literacy and communication. In Oxford research encyclopedia of communication. Oxford University Press.
- Silverblatt, A., & Eliceiri, E. M. E. (2007). Dictionary of media literacy. Greenwood Press. Şahin, A. (2018). Eleştirel medya okuryazarlığı. Anı Yayıncılık.
- Stojanović, D. (2016). Metapismenost [Doctoral dissertation, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek]. Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
- UNESCO. (2013). Media and information literacy: Policy and strategy guidelines. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000225606
- UNESCO. (2021). Media and information literacy. https://www.unesco.org/en/media-information-literacy
Details
| Primary Language | English |
|---|---|
| Subjects | Social and Humanities Education (Excluding Economics, Business and Management), Educational Technology and Computing |
| Journal Section | Review Article |
| Authors | |
| Early Pub Date | July 14, 2025 |
| Publication Date | |
| Submission Date | January 21, 2025 |
| Acceptance Date | July 9, 2025 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2025 Volume: 13 Issue: 26 |
