Examples of Low Media Literacy

Satirical Content

  • Satirical, humorous content has always been a relevant part of media by lightening the mood on often serious topics. Additionally, they can be notably funny and entertaining for those who understand it, which allows for a sense of community. However, recently many have fallen victim to satirical content, as they fail to catch the irony and overly take things to heart.

    • The Onion

    • The Daily Show

    • Family Guy, The Simpsons, etc.

False Advertising

  • Advertising, although it is supposed to stay truthful, often times has innate exaggeration to make products more appealing. However, individuals of lower literacy have fallen victim to false advertising, where corporations will completely fabricate details for the sake of profit. This has led to imbecilic spending, as consumers waste their money on products or services that are not what they seem to be.

    • Power Balance Wristbands

    • VKTRY Insoles

    • Fast Food Chains (To some degrees)

    • Plastic Surgery

    • Escobar Inc

Yellow Journalism

  • “Yellow Journalism” is a term that was popularized in 1900s America, where news sources purposely exaggerated stories to garner attention. Despite its decrease in journalism over the years, characteristics of “Yellow Journalism” still prevail throughout the news. The term has also been reinvented in a social media context: clickbait. As such exaggerated headlines and content continue to publish hyperbolic statements for viewership, it is becoming increasingly important to combat this with media literacy.

    • Clickbait Youtube Videos (Thumbnails)

    • Overexaggerated News Headlines

    • Sensationalism

    • Drastic Polarization of Content