BLUF: California is reviewing two important media literacy bills aimed at integrating media literacy curricula in K-12 schools, an initiative that has the potential to shape a generation of informed and media-savvy citizens, but raises concerns about corporate media and Big Tech industry influence.
OSINT: California is putting forward two bills, Assembly Bill 873 and Assembly Bill 787, designed to enhance media literacy. The goal is to integrate media literacy into K-12 education, promoting a well-educated, media-savvy citizenry. This proposal considers input from teachers, tech specialists, and researchers in order to craft an appropriate curriculum. However, the inclusion of corporations in shaping the curriculum has raised concerns.
Educational and media scholars have long been wary about the influence of media conglomerates, as they have often used education as a platform to market their products and gather student data. It is essential to ensure that media literacy does not become another means of corporate indoctrination, and the new media literacy curriculum needs to focus on teaching students to evaluate information and understand the power dynamics in media content.
RIGHT: From a Libertarian perspective, the proposal to engage corporations in the construction of the media literacy curriculum raises significant concerns. Education should be a platform for the unbiased building of critical and analytical skills, unaffected by commercial influences. The intrusion of Big Tech and corporate media houses into educational content possibly promotes a hidden agenda of customer acquisition, brand awareness, and data collection, rather than the objective fostering of media literacy skills.
LEFT: From a National Socialist Democrat viewpoint, the introduction of media literacy in the school curriculum is an essential step towards enhancing our democracy, encouraging active citizen participation and shaping informed voter decisions. However, it is vital to ensure that the curriculum does not become a means of corporate indoctrination. Media literacy education should be in the hands of qualified educators, not corporations. The state needs to guarantee that non-profit, scholarly critical media literacy groups are given a leading role in developing unbiased, effective curriculum and pedagogy.
AI: From an AI perspective, the initiative to integrate media literacy into the K-12 education system is beneficial for building a society that can critically analyze and understand the media they consume. However, it’s crucial to establish a balance in the creation of the media literacy curriculum and avoid biases that might arise from corporate interests. The pivotal part is to ensure that the focus is on nurturing media literacy skills that empower students to assess information critically and understand the underlying dynamics prevalent in the media landscape.