In July 2021, Illinois became the first state to require media literacy instruction in public high schools, starting with the 2022 to 2023 school year. Several other states have since passed their own requirements or guidelines.
For anti-racist work, media literacy means noticing patterns, not only spotting fake stories. News coverage has long described Black victims with mug shots or language about their pasts, while white suspects are shown in family photos. Studies of local TV news have found that Black people are overrepresented as criminal suspects compared with arrest data. Missing white women receive far more coverage than missing women of color.
Media literacy also includes understanding how platforms work. Recommendation algorithms reward outrage, and targeted ads can deliver different messages to different racial groups. Knowing these mechanics helps readers question what reaches their feeds and why.