The abundance of web 2.0 tools and networks is leaving a clear mark on the internet today. Users present themselves by way of profiles, connect in large numbers to colleagues and old classmates, post their photo’s on a global bulletin board and tell their whereabouts in short bursts of ‘I exist!’. At the same time a discussion is rapidly unfolding on the media literacy of young people. Media literacy refers to acting consciously, critically and actively in a global world of media. In a world of digital identities, electronic files, camera surveillance, virtual communities and online transactions, there is no doubt that media literacy is a necessary competence. Not only to survive in a digital jungle but also as a way to express oneself, digitally.


Somewhere you expect these two - web 2.0 and media literacy -  to collide. But no supernova can yet be seen on the cloudy skies of cyberspace. Of course some minor sparkles can be discovered but overall we do not seem to make profound progress regarding media literacy in the context of the web 2.0 hype. One reason is I think that there is more to it than availability. A hammer lying around doesn’t make everyone a carpenter…Living in a world of digital tools does not automatically make you media literate. Knowledge, competencies and an attitude are all necessary ingredients to get beyond the point of uploading a photo from your mobile for fun. 


But moreover there seems to be a twisted idea on what media literacy is and how to communicate this to young people. An excellent example in this case is the special edition of ‘Mediawijzer.net’ (May 2009). The bulk of this special newspaper is filled with articles on how to get famous, what it is to have a famous farther, what it is to be famous (royalty, soccer players, be ‘Yolanthe’, et cetera), how famous people handle the paparazzi, and a quiz to see what kind of star you yourself are. The tools mentioned are also introduced in the same vein: how to get famous by using Hyves! Only a few items address other issues, like the risks of ‘exposing’ yourself on the internet, but this is always done from negative perspective (protect yourself!). Media literacy seems to be about preparing us to be famous…


The message send across with this kind of publication is that media are there to get famous. Web 2.0 seems to be just another vehicle to get there. Esmee Denters discovered on the internet is now a ‘traditional’ artist with a normal contract and using all the traditional ‘channels’ to sell a product. Web 2.0 is just another way to get to Media 1.0.

tagged with: media literacy, media 1.0, web 2.0

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