Children growing up in the digital age are faced with screens, applications, and written, visual, and audio media content in every area of their lives. While this offers them unlimited opportunities for learning and entertainment, it also brings with it significant threats such as false information, advertisement pressure, and online risks. To ensure children become critical, conscious, strong, and resilient individuals in the face of media, it is necessary to equip them with digital media literacy skills, enabling them to benefit from opportunities while protecting them from risks.
The 25th General Comment published by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2021 reminds us that protecting, developing, and realizing children's rights in the digital environment is primarily the responsibility of governments and technology companies. The fundamental steps to protect children in the digital age include governments developing policies that prioritize the best interests of children, technology companies designing their products and services in a child-friendly manner, and adults fulfilling their duty to guide and educate children (UNCRC General Comment No. 25, 2021).
REMEDIS project: Implications for children
The European Union-supported REMEDIS project also asks how children can become stronger and more informed individuals in the digital world. This international initiative, titled Rethinking Media Literacy and Digital Skills, examines the impact of media literacy and digital skills training across different age and social groups. Carried out in collaboration with seven academic partners and fourteen civil society organizations, the project goes beyond being merely an academic study; it serves as a guiding manual for various actors, from educators to policymakers (REMEDIS Toolkit, 2025).
REMEDIS' findings are quite striking for children: Educational programs increase children's digital skills and enable them to act more consciously on the internet. However, the limited impact, especially in disadvantaged communities, calls into question the capacity of uniform educational models to respond to children's needs. Nevertheless, programs tailored to local needs, supported by the active participation of educators, and based on children's own experiences can deliver much more effective results (Vissenberg et al., 2025). In this regard, it is clear that media literacy for children must be shaped by context-sensitive and sustainable programs.
A look at educational content
What should the content of media literacy education programs for children be like? For example, the teaching materials of Canada-based MediaSmarts are a strong example in this regard. The lessons use examples to explain to children that media products are structures built with conscious choices, that they can appeal to different audiences in different ways, that they often have commercial purposes, that they carry social or political implications, and that each media medium has its own unique language. In this way, children begin to understand that media, from advertisements to cartoons, is a process of intentional shaping (MediaSmarts, n.d.). Moving away from being passive consumers of media, children take their first steps toward becoming conscious and responsible producers.
Common Sense Media's new curriculum: Digital literacy and well-being
Common Sense Media's updated curriculum has also been attracting attention recently. Designed for K–8 students, the Digital Literacy & Well-Being Curriculum stands out as a comprehensive and free educational set that combines digital skills and well-being. Touted as the most comprehensive update since 2018, the new curriculum includes 147 short and interactive lessons. In addition to current topics such as artificial intelligence literacy, deepfakes, screen time management, and parasocial relationships, it also includes practical guides for families and professional development resources for teachers. In this way, the curriculum aims to actively involve not only children but also parents and educators in the process (Common Sense Media, 2025).
Literacy in the age of algorithms, advertising, and artificial intelligence
Today, media is shaped not only by content, but also by the invisible systems that deliver that content to us. Algorithms determine what appears on children's screens, capturing their attention with calculative elements. Advertising technologies target children with personalized messages, while artificial intelligence is heavily used in the production of content aimed at children. The increase in AI-generated content on YouTube has led to the emergence of concepts such as identifying factual errors or inappropriate messages in this content (Parents, 2025).
This situation necessitates redefining media literacy to include algorithmic awareness and artificial intelligence criticism. Enabling children to ask, “Why am I being shown this content?” helps them understand that algorithms are not neutral tools but systems shaped by commercial and cultural preferences. The European Parliament's 2025 report Children and Deepfakes details the effects of generative artificial intelligence on children; it highlights serious risks such as privacy, identity fraud, and manipulation, given that a significant proportion of students are open to sharing their personal data (European Parliament, 2025). The concept of “algorithmic literacy” is also emerging in this context: children are being taught how data is processed, what criteria it is ranked by, and how this affects their thought processes (MediaSmarts, Algorithmic Awareness Report). Within this framework, advertising awareness translates into competencies such as recognizing branded content within games or influencer campaigns.
Children whose digital media literacy skills are supported, including algorithm awareness and the ability to distinguish artificial intelligence content, are expected to learn to distinguish between accurate and inaccurate information online, recognize cyberbullying, control screen time, and recognize the value of personal data and their digital footprint. Children with these skills are seen to use the online world more effectively as more engaged individuals and to achieve higher academic success (Livingstone et al, 2021).
The role of families
Of course, limiting digital media literacy education to schools and classrooms is not enough. As Common Sense Education suggests, families are also expected to take an active role in their children's media experiences. The role of the mediator parent or caregiver in the home environment is important here. Discussing the news with children, questioning the purpose behind an advertisement they see, keeping the question “is it real or not?” open before sharing, questioning gender roles while watching movies together, drawing attention to ideological perspectives in short videos and, at times, hate speech spreading on social media platforms are among the effective practices that can be implemented in the home environment. Furthermore, showing children how to obtain information from different sources and helping them recognize clickbait and biases significantly strengthens their critical thinking skills (Common Sense Education, 2020). In this way, media literacy goes beyond being a classroom topic and becomes a natural part of daily family conversations.
All this rich content and these approaches show us that media literacy is a skill set that goes beyond teaching children to question content; it also helps them become responsible individuals in their own media production. Children's ability to express their perspectives, recognize the impact of their messages on others, and respect different cultural perspectives is also shaped by these skills (Common Sense Media, 2020). It paves the way for children to become more conscious, safe, and active individuals in the digital world.
Literacy in the age of algorithms, advertising, and artificial intelligence
Today, media is shaped not only by content, but also by the invisible systems that deliver that content to us. Algorithms determine what appears on children's screens, capturing their attention with calculative elements. Advertising technologies target children with personalized messages, while artificial intelligence is heavily used in the production of content aimed at children. The increase in AI-generated content on YouTube has led to the emergence of concepts such as identifying factual errors or inappropriate messages in this content (Parents, 2025).
This situation necessitates redefining media literacy to include algorithmic awareness and artificial intelligence criticism. Enabling children to ask, “Why am I being shown this content?” helps them understand that algorithms are not neutral tools but systems shaped by commercial and cultural preferences. The European Parliament's 2025 report Children and Deepfakes details the effects of generative artificial intelligence on children; it highlights serious risks such as privacy, identity fraud, and manipulation, given that a significant proportion of students are open to sharing their personal data (European Parliament, 2025). The concept of “algorithmic literacy” is also emerging in this context: children are being taught how data is processed, what criteria it is ranked by, and how this affects their thought processes (MediaSmarts, Algorithmic Awareness Report). Within this framework, advertising awareness translates into competencies such as recognizing branded content within games or influencer campaigns.
Children whose digital media literacy skills are supported, including algorithm awareness and the ability to distinguish artificial intelligence content, are expected to learn to distinguish between accurate and inaccurate information online, recognize cyberbullying, control screen time, and recognize the value of personal data and their digital footprint. Children with these skills are seen to use the online world more effectively as more engaged individuals and to achieve higher academic success (Livingstone et al, 2021).
The role of families
Of course, limiting digital media literacy education to schools and classrooms is not enough. As Common Sense Education suggests, families are also expected to take an active role in their children's media experiences. The role of the mediator parent or caregiver in the home environment is important here. Discussing the news with children, questioning the purpose behind an advertisement they see, keeping the question “is it real or not?” open before sharing, questioning gender roles while watching movies together, drawing attention to ideological perspectives in short videos and, at times, hate speech spreading on social media platforms are among the effective practices that can be implemented in the home environment. Furthermore, showing children how to obtain information from different sources and helping them recognize clickbait and biases significantly strengthens their critical thinking skills (Common Sense Education, 2020). In this way, media literacy goes beyond being a classroom topic and becomes a natural part of daily family conversations.
All this rich content and these approaches show us that media literacy is a skill set that goes beyond teaching children to question content; it also helps them become responsible individuals in their own media production. Children's ability to express their perspectives, recognize the impact of their messages on others, and respect different cultural perspectives is also shaped by these skills (Common Sense Media, 2020). It paves the way for children to become more conscious, safe, and active individuals in the digital world.
Digital Media Literacy Series
Alghoritmic bias: Platform capitalism, Data and Reality - Tirşe Erbaysal Filibeli
How to approach “accurate” Information in the digital age? - Koray Kaplıca
Journalists’ rights and obligations in digital media - Nihan Güneli
Our Media
IPS Communication Foundation/bianet is among the partners of the EU-funded “Our Media” project, which will run from 2023 to 2025.
The “Our Media: Civil Society Movement for the Multiplication of Media Literacy and Activism, Prevention of Polarization, and Promotion of Dialogue” project will last for three years.
The project's initial focus will be on building the capacity of NGOs, media professionals, young activists, and the public in the Balkans and Turkey to address trends and challenges related to media freedom, development, and sustainability.
Funded by the EU and covering the years 2023–2025, the partners of the “Our Media” project are as follows:
South East Europe Network for Professionalization of Media (SEENPM)
Albanian Media Institute (Tirana)
Mediacentar Foundation (Sarajevo)
Kosovo Press Council
Montenegro Media Institute (Podgorica)
Macedonia Media Institute (Skopje)
Novi Sad School of Journalism (Novi Sad)
Peace Institute (Ljubljana)
bianet (Turkey).
The researcher for the “Our Media” project on behalf of the IPS Communication Foundation/bianet is Sinem Aydınlı, the foundation's research coordinator.
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A new civil society initiative: 'Our Media'
Scope of the project
The project begins with research aimed at identifying key trends, risks, and opportunities for media sustainability and mapping good practices in media activism to support media freedom and media and information literacy (MIL). The research findings will be used to strengthen the capacities of NGOs and other stakeholders in the media field to address challenges in the media.
Advocacy activities will be carried out to understand the capacities of journalists, media organizations, and media institutions within the scope of “Our Media.” Local and national media and other actors will be encouraged to carry out media activism work on gender inequalities in the media. Within the scope of the project, young leaders will be empowered to oppose discrimination and gender stereotypes and to support gender equality through various activities.
The project will reach local communities through financial support provided to NGOs in urban and rural areas, with the aim of developing citizens' MIL skills, supporting media freedom and integrity, and countering polarization caused by propaganda, hate speech, and disinformation.
The regional program “Our Media: A civil society action to generate media literacy and activism, counter polarisation and promote dialogue” is implemented with the financial support of the European Union by partner organizations SEENPM, Albanian Media Institute, Mediacentar Sarajevo, Press Council of Kosovo, Montenegrin Media Institute, Macedonian Institute for Media, Novi Sad School of Journalism, Peace Institute and bianet.
This article was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of IPS Communication Foundtaion/bianet and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
(EEB/SA/VC/VK)
