Are We Media Literate?
Kika
Young Belgrade YouTuber Took Her Own Life!
The English Daily Mirror reported on December 9, 2021, that young YouTuber Kristina Kika Đukić had been a victim of cyberbullying for years. The report also mentions a distressing video posted by Kika, in which she explained what she was going through. She described the harassment she endured and emphasized the importance of being happy and doing what she wanted with her life – according to the Daily Mirror.
Portal medijskapismenost.hr
In Croatia, the government is taking serious measures to protect citizens from media manipulation and violence.
The portal medijskapismenost.hr has been established.
The founders of this portal, the Agency for Electronic Media and UNICEF, have brought together numerous partners who contribute to increasing media literacy in Croatia and enhancing the quality of the portal’s content. From the beginning, the portal’s partners have included the Academy of Dramatic Arts, the Faculty of Political Science, the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, and the Croatian Film Association. Subsequently, the following institutions joined: the Academy of Art and Culture in Osijek, the Department of Communication at the Croatian Judges’ Association, the Department of Communication at the University of Dubrovnik, the Faculty of Education at the University of Zagreb, the VERN University, and the Edward Bernays College of Communication.
“Media literacy is one of the key competencies for living and working in a rapidly evolving and changing digital media world, as well as for active civic participation in social, economic, cultural, and democratic processes.” – states the portal. The emphasis is placed on educating children and young people in this direction as it is the best way to protect them from potentially harmful media content, misinformation, and propaganda.
Lush Cosmetics
In the global effort to ensure internet safety, major advertisers are also getting involved. The French cosmetics brand Lush deactivated its accounts on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat on November 26, 2021, intending to highlight the negative impact these platforms have on mental health. The company announced that it will remain off social media until “the platforms provide a safer environment for their users.”
Influencers Academy
In Serbia, during September 2021, the project Influencers Academy was implemented, bringing together thirteen influencers with around two million followers on Instagram and TikTok. They underwent training aimed at developing skills for critical analysis of media content to create messages responsibly for their audiences. The Influencers Academy project was carried out by the advertising agency Propulsion with support from USAID. “Citizens and businesses have a high level of understanding of the media and digital environment, often exceeding the European average in many areas,” said Darko Sokolović, director of the agency.
Exhibition Media Literacy Against Fake News
The Press Council organized an exhibition in Niš at the hall of the “Stevan Sremac” and “Bora Stanković” high schools as part of the project Building Trust in Media in Southeast Europe and Turkey – Phase Two, supported by the European Commission and UNESCO. According to the organizers, the exhibition features four “totems” placed in the space, offering students answers to questions such as: Why are fake news bad even though they are entertaining? What are disinformation and who is most likely to spread it?
Vuk Vico
Young influencer Vuk Vico stated in the show Scrolling that influencers in Serbia earn two to three times more than the average salary, “yet people still say that only idiots make videos and that anyone can do it.”
Media Literacy in Serbia is at an Extremely Low Level
Nedim Sejdanović, a journalist and writer, has stated that media literacy in Serbia is at an extremely low level, not only because of the results of various studies but also due to observable indicators and phenomena. “In Serbia, the media continuously violate the professional code and basic rules of the profession, yet they still have a significant influence on public opinion and a high level of trust from citizens, as they themselves claim. This actually indicates that both the state and civil society need to work on improving media literacy in the country,” said journalist and writer Nedim Sejdanović (source: Beta).