Combating Disinformation and Misinformation Through Media Literacy the Strategic Role of Librarians: A Review

Abstract

The ability to access, analyse, evaluate, create, and act using all forms of communication is known as media literacy, and it is an essential skill for becoming an informed and involved citizen throughout one's life. The emergence of social networking sites has made it easier for people to spread false information that misleads others and causes problems in society. Librarians can offer a neutral space for media consumption and production that serves as an educational haven for media literacy. This paper discusses the roles that librarians can play in reducing the problems of misinformation and disinformation. Librarians should teach and provide to the users media literacy programs that will assist and convert them to media literates. They should also work with fact-checkers to assist users in identifying fake news that is published in media outlets. Librarians be proactive to ensure they satisfied information needs of their users. Librarians should actively identify rumours and misinformation circulating within the community and take proactive steps to mitigate their impact. They should also engage in awareness campaigns and foster strong relationships with community members to effectively combat the spread of false information