Comprehensive Action Plan to Promote Digital and Media Literacy

Washington, D.C. -Americans are constantly trying to keep up with the latest digital tools and technologies. Whether it’s touch screen computers, smart phones, or user-generated news sites, access to information does not automatically translate into knowing how to use these tools in effective ways that help people in their everyday lives. From parents concerned with online safety issues, to students searching for information online at home, schools and libraries, to everyday citizens looking for accurate and relevant health care and government resources, all Americans can benefit from learning how to access, analyze, and create digital and media content with thoughtfulness and social responsibility.

This was one of the key recommendations of the Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy in its landmark report, Informing Communities, issued last year. This blue ribbon commission of 17 luminaries recommended that digital and media literacy be viewed as a critical element in all levels of education, and with institutions such as libraries in local communities.”