Be Media Smart campaign urges people to Stop, Think, and Check to combat disinformation

Campaign launch marks Global Media and Information Literacy Week

People across Ireland are being urged to ‘stop, think, and check’ before accepting, repeating, or reposting information they come across from any source.

The call is part of the latest ‘Be Media Smart’ campaign, which kicks off today (24.10.23), to improve media literacy in Ireland, and mark UNESCO’s Global Media and Information Literacy Week.

The Be Media Smart campaign is an initiative of Media Literacy Ireland (MLI) and aims to raise awareness of the importance of knowing how to verify information; provide tips and guidance on how to check the accuracy and reliability of information, and signpost people to additional sources of support and training. MLI and the ‘Be Media Smart’ campaign are supported by Coimisiún na Meán – Ireland’s new media regulator and media development agency.

The campaign is supported by a wide range of Irish media, with adverts in Irish and in English running across community, commercial, and public service TV and radio stations, as well as in news publications and on social media.

A key part of the 2023 campaign is the Be Media Smart Community Training Programme. Developed by EDMO Ireland – the European Digital Media Observatory Ireland – this programme will run across October and November and is expected to train more than 100 community-based leaders, coaches, and librarians and provide them with the resources to deliver Be Media Smart workshops in communities across the country, in English and in Irish.

Commenting, Coimisiún na Meán’s Media Development Commissioner, Rónán Ó Domhnaill said: “Media literacy is an essential life skill for everyone to be able to successfully navigate the modern world in which we live. Promotion of media literacy is a priority for Coimisiún na Meán. We are proud to work with Media Literacy Ireland and support the ‘Be Media Smart’ campaign, which aims to help people to critically assess media content and reduce the impact of misinformation and disinformation.”

As part of the campaign, the Be Media Smart website has had a refresh, including the addition of an ‘Ask an Expert’ section, where members of the public can put media literacy related questions to a panel of experts.

National Co-Ordinator of Media Literacy Ireland, Martina Chapman said: “Now more than ever, it is so important for people to have confidence in the information that they encounter on a daily basis. The ‘Be Media Smart’ campaign gives people tips and advice on how to Stop, Think, and Check the accuracy and reliability of information. We are privileged to have some of the leading experts in media literacy in Ireland on our ‘Ask an Expert’ panel – from academics, to journalists, to people who specialise in internet safety for children and young people.”

The ‘Be Media Smart’ campaign runs from today until the end of November, with activity expected to continue until the end of the year.

Visit www.bemediasmart.ie for further information.

ENDS

Media Contact Coimisiún na Meán: Síona Cahill / Joanne Ahern, DHR Communications. Tel: 087-753 0255 / 087-9881837

Media Literacy Ireland: Martina Chapman, info@medialiteracyireland.ie.

Notes for Editors:

• The Be Media Smart expert panel includes: Dr Claire McGuinness, Assistant Professor at UCD’s School of Information and Communication Studies; Dr Eileen Culloty, Researcher at the DCU Institute for Future Media and Journalism (FuJo); Dr Marta Bustillo, Digital Learning Librarian at University College Dublin; Dr Ricardo Castellini Da Silva, European Digital Media Observatory, DCU; Dr Eugenia Siapera, Professor of Information and Communication Studies and head of the ICS School at UCD; Ciaran O’Connor, Senior Analyst with the Institute for Strategic Dialogue; Stephen McDermott, The Journal Factcheck, and Jane McGarrigle, Project Officer, Webwise.
• Media Literacy Ireland National Co-Ordinator, Martina Chapman and members of the expert panel are available for interview.
• Details of the community-based training programme can be found on www.bemediasmart.ie

About Coimisiún na Meán:

Coimisiún na Meán is Ireland’s new commission for regulating broadcasters, on-demand services and online media, and supporting media development. Established in March 2023 under the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022, it builds on the work of its predecessor, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. It is responsible for ensuring and maintaining a thriving and diverse media landscape in Ireland that facilitates a mix of voices, opinions and sources of news and current affairs, as well as a safe online environment.

Its responsibilities are to:

• Oversee the funding of and support the development of the wider media sector in Ireland.
• Oversee the regulation of broadcasting and video-on-demand services.
• Develop and enforce the Irish regulatory regime for online safety.

About Media Literacy Ireland:

Media Literacy Ireland is an informal alliance of organisations and individuals who are working together on a voluntary basis to promote media literacy in Ireland. Facilitated by Coimisiún na Meán, as part of its commitment to promoting media literacy, MLI brings together a wide range of members from sectors such as the media, academia, online platforms, libraries and civil society.