PopHealth Pulse: Why Digital Literacy Won't Save Us Across any Generation

Recently the APA released its Health advisory on social media use in adolescence‍ . This is a fascinating topic with a wide range of opinions on its importance, impact and potential outcomes. It seems that each generation looks at some of the behaviors and access to “new things” associated with the next generation and wonders will this be better, will it make it worse? We have all seen amongst people of all ages the head down, arched back, swiping up, headphones on intently observing that little screen as the world continues on around us.

While I have done no research in this area, I have observed and read several news stories and articles addressing this, other countries changing regulations and seen several lawsuits regarding access to social media.  I can say based upon experience that:

1. People are much less attentive to longer forms of communications, movies, projects, discussions, books, etc.

2. People often seem to believe they can carry on a conversation while swiping through their favorite social media.

3. Individual verbal communications have gotten shorter and less deep.  It seems they just scratch the surface, instead of a robust conversation exploring various nuances of a topic.

4. Hours can go by as someone sits down or lies in bed scrolling away the day.

5. We have seen the power of social media to move perceptions, whether with COVID, vaccines, or the medical field in general.

The APA discusses this in regards to adolescents, but many of the issues and areas they address could be applied to persons of all ages. While they recommend the following as one of the solutions or ideas, this one’s potential impact is questionable:  

9. Adolescents’ social media use should be preceded by training in social media literacy to ensure that users have developed psychologically-informed competencies and skills that will maximize the chances for balanced, safe, and meaningful social media use.

Emerging science offers preliminary support for the efficacy of Digital Citizenship and Digital Literacy

47 to increase the frequency of positive interactions online; however, more research is needed in this area.

48 Additional competencies could also include:

·      questioning the accuracy and representativeness of social media content

·       understanding the tactics used to spread mis- and disinformation

Why is this unlikely to help? Expecting training and digital literacy to be the solution is another example, just like health literacy where we cannot expect individuals to get to a high enough level.  Particularly when associated with health, health care research and results. Unless everyone has a strong foundation in the sciences and research through school, understanding the nuanced complexity of an issue being presented on these platforms is not feasible.  I don’t know what the answer to this is, but we are seeing many examples with one being the current measles outbreak. Clearly, as the APA point’s out much more research is needed, and not just about adolescents, but I can state clearly that Digital Literacy ain’t gonna fix it.

The article was written by me, the title and image is AI generated based upon its content.