Media literacy was yesterday. Children need reading skills!

Media literacy" is getting on in years. The term dates back to a time when the «new media» were actually still new and the internet had just taken its first steps. Back then, the best-known search engine was called «Yahoo», people chatted on «ICQ» and an illegal music exchange called «Napster» revolutionised an entire industry.

In those years, parents' main fears were that their children would come into contact with strangers or that the web would give them unhindered access to disturbing content such as pornography and right-wing extremism. It was at this time that the call for media literacy as a school subject first became loud.

A lot has happened in schools since then, but unfortunately far too little. Instead, technological development has progressed all the more rapidly. Social networks alone have completely revolutionised the web. Today, children and young people hardly ever put their smartphones down and are increasingly beyond the control of adults. Many parents and educators feel overwhelmed when it comes to media education.

Because computer games work differently from books, they have to be «read» differently.

And media literacy? Today it stands for everything and nothing. Worse still, the term has become so watered down that everyone understands it differently. So it's high time we familiarised ourselves with a new and, above all, unambiguous term: literacy.

What does literacy mean in the media age?

The term reading ability no longer applies exclusively to the reception of books and texts, but must be greatly expanded. One example: Anyone who is well versed in literature will reach the limits of their reading ability when it comes to games such as Fortnite. Because computer games work differently to books, they have to be «read» differently.

Reading skills require differentiated background knowledge. It is often said that children and young people are more familiar with the digital world than many adults. However, this knowledge is usually limited to pure operating skills. Young people are often unable to assess the intentions of Facebook and Instagram operators or the consequences of their own actions online. This is another reason why a thoughtless prank with a mobile phone quickly turns into cyberbullying.

What is missing is the ability to categorise. This is one of themost important educational tasks for us adults in order to protect, encourage and support children in the media age.

Where is literacy needed today? An overview.

1. on the Internet

The Internet is one of the most important sources of information. In contrast to tried and tested non-fiction books or encyclopaedias, the web is the first medium that we have to encounter with a completely new feeling: Distrust. Is that true? Is the Wikipedia entry really true? Do the facts in the article correspond to the facts or is it someone's personal opinion? Is the supposed report a hidden advert for a particular product? Is the website actually run by a committed beekeeper? Or is it a right-wing extremist blog in disguise? If even adults find it difficult to answer these questions correctly, how do children and young people fare?

2. for online news

Most Internet offerings are not news sites, but shops that want to sell something. The free mentality of internet users is forcing publishers to find new sources of refinancing. Many publishing houses have successfully made the leap from print to online business, with some now generating 75 per cent of their revenue from digital business.

But how does that work? With subscriptions for apps? No, rather with the traditional advertising business, where publishers operate profitable car and property sites, for example. Many large online magazines now offer their own offshoots for young people.

3. for recognising fake news

Heinrich Böll's 1974 book «The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum» is striking proof that targeted fake news is not an invention of the internet age. However, fake news can be spread incredibly quickly with the help of social media.

Online lies about refugees, for example, are deliberately exaggerated in order to agitate readers or spread fear. When emotions run high, the news is often spread unchecked via the share function. Populist parties with simple slogans in particular use this method as an ideal tool to fuel the mood in their interests. The facts can only be checked with the appropriate reading skills.

Test fake news

The emotional impact of fake news can be very easily demonstrated to children and young people: We tell them that all school holidays are to be cut to a quarter because the learning workload is too heavy. Are they so shocked and surprised that they immediately want to share this news with their friends?
To find out whether this news is true, do the following with your child:

• Überprüfen Sie die Quelle. Gibt es überhaupt eine? 
• Überprüfen Sie das Impressum der Quelle (Online-Seite). Was erfahren wir über die Betreiber? 
• Geben Sie die Behauptung in einer Suchmaschine ein. Wenn nicht mindestens zwei namhafte Medien über die Ferienkürzungen berichten, handelt es sich mit grosser Wahrscheinlichkeit um eine Falschmeldung.
• Gehen Sie auf www.mimikama.at. Die Seite berichtet regelmässig über Fake-News. Falschnachrichten können gemeldet werden.

4. recognise bots

To spread fake news particularly effectively, there are computer programmes that pretend to be a human with a name: Bots. They automatically share fake news on social networks and are almost indistinguishable from real people at first glance. However, equipped with the appropriate reading skills, we can easily identify such senders as bots. For example, if the alleged person has never written anything personal on the social network, but only spreads articles like a snowball. However, there are also other bots.

5. dealing with chatbots

The use of chatbots is intended to save personnel costs. Instead of real employees answering customers' questions online, chatbots such as «Ralf» or «Barbara» answer most questions. Sometimes only in a dialogue box, often with a human face.
It is only the awkwardly formulated queries that make it clear that this cannot be a real person after all. However, agencies are now hiring dramaturges to significantly improve the linguistic power of chatbots. Google recently demonstrated a phone call between a customer and a hairdresser who arranged a joint appointment. However, one of them was a voice assistant. It was impossible to tell the difference between man and machine. If adults can't recognise the difference, how can children?

6. ... and with voice assistants

The success of voice assistants such as Apple's Siri or Amazon's Alexa is easy to explain: they are the overcoming of the keyboard through voice recognition. Finally, you no longer have to type to search the web. As these assistants are also equipped with a soft, human voice, they make a more trusting impression - especially with children.

In order for the voice assistant to respond, a specific key term must be mentioned to activate it. This should dispel the impression that these devices are secretly eavesdropping on us all the time. But don't these voice assistants always have to listen in to recognise the keyword? Anyone who is upset about the «bug» in their living room should first think about their smartphone, which accompanies them close to their body wherever they go.

7. free to play - «free» games

Thanks to the smartphone and its countless free apps, children don't have to spend money on a game or ask their parents to get it for them. Among the most popular offers are so-called free-to-play games. Free-to-play means free of charge, but should actually be translated as «far too expensive».

To get started, players receive various content such as weapons or gems for free. But this is just a lure to familiarise players with the game's internal payment system. As soon as these items have been gambled away, you can quickly buy more for little money.

One of the best-known games is called «Clash of Clans», which, according to the manufacturer, took in around 2.5 million dollars in 2013. Every day. Today, that figure is likely to be significantly higher. These games use numerous tricks and send messages to exert pressure. «Come back, your warriors are waiting for you», «Your clan needs a leader». These messages come at inopportune times, distract and bring children back into the game so that they might end up spending money after all. The fact that there is a system behind this is rarely realised.

8. dealing with hate speech

The tone online has become harsher, the language coarser. More and more people are using social media to let off steam. The victims are politicians, migrants and minorities. They are not only insulted, but sometimes threatened with death. While this was mostly anonymous just a few years ago, many authors of hate texts now have no problem giving their real names. They obviously feel safe in the knowledge that their comments will not have any consequences.

This is now set to change. The German TV channel ZDF, for example, recently reported two hate writers who littered a female presenter with vile insults and threats during the World Cup in Russia. It is important that there are legal limits to this, otherwise inhibitions will dwindle due to blunting.

Many children and young people are also familiar with hate speech. They experience insults and lies in WhatsApp groups and are insulted and threatened on social networks. Defending yourself properly against hate speech requires special reading skills.

Conclusion: Reading ability means being able to categorise

This was just a small selection of examples for which we need reading skills today. The question remains: who should teach these reading skills? On the one hand the parental home, on the other hand the school.

But one important institution is often forgotten when it comes to this educational topic: public libraries. The library is no longer a dusty place. Parents and schools need to pay more attention to libraries, as they are not only well equipped with Wi-Fi, tablets and e-books, but also offer the space and trained staff. And numerous media projects are already taking place in libraries.

In the past, media education for children was solely about protecting them: how many hours of TV or Gameboy use is harmful? This has changed, as many of the risks of the internet age affect us all.

Whether it's the monitoring of our behaviour online or the big data fishing: Only with the appropriate reading skills are we able to correctly categorise what is happening. Because in the end, it's all about these questions: How do we want to live together? What kind of world do we want our children to grow up in?

We must not shy away from these challenges.

Online dossier on media consumption

About the author Thomas Feibel

56, is the leading journalist on the subject of «children and new media» in Germany. The media expert heads the Office for Children's Media in Berlin. His most recent parenting guide «Jetzt pack doch mal das Handy weg» was published by Ullstein-Verlag. Feibel is married and has four children.

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