What Is Media Literacy? (Bias, Intent, Credibility)

🎯 Lesson Goal

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Explain what media literacy is (in your own words)
• Tell the difference between fact, opinion, and bias
• Identify intent (inform, persuade, entertain)
• Do simple credibility checks before you share content

1) What is Media Literacy?

Media literacy is the skill of understanding, questioning, and making good decisions about media.

It helps you:

• Understand how messages are created
• Spot manipulation, misinformation, and stereotypes
• Decide what to trust and what to ignore
• Create your own media responsibly and powerfully

Simple definition:

Media literacy means I don’t just consume content — I think about it, verify it, and choose how to respond.

 

2) Fact vs Opinion vs Bias (Know the difference)

✅ Fact

A fact is something that can be checked and proven true or false.

• Example: “Kampala is in Uganda.”
• Example: “This video was posted on 2 March 2026.”

✅ Opinion

An opinion is a personal belief or feeling.

• Example: “This song is the best.”
• Example: “That politician is terrible.”

✅ Bias

Bias is an angle or preference that influences how something is presented.
Bias doesn’t always mean lying — it means the content may be one-sided or designed to push you in a direction.

• Example: A story that only shows one group as “good” and another as “bad”
• Example: A headline that makes you angry without giving evidence

Quick test:
 

If it tries to make you feel very angry / very afraid / very excited quickly, pause and check credibility.

3) Intent: Why was this made?

Almost every media message has an intent. Ask:
What does the creator want me to do or believe?

Common intents:

• Inform: give information (news, announcements, education)
• Persuade: convince you (adverts, political content, propaganda)
• Entertain: make you laugh/feel/emotion (music, comedy, drama)
• Build image: make someone/something look good (branding, PR)
• Trigger engagement: get likes/shares/comments (viral content)

Key idea:

Intent shapes everything: the words, the visuals, the music, what is included, and what is left out.

 

4) Credibility: Can I trust it?

Before you share, do quick checks. Use this simple method:

🔍 The 5 Credibility Checks

1. Source: Who posted it? Is it a real account or unknown page?
2. Evidence: Does it show proof (data, clear video context, documents, real witnesses)?
3. Date: When was it posted? Is it old content being reused?
4. Cross-check: Can you find the same story from another reliable source?
5. Purpose: Is it trying to inform, persuade, or create panic?

✅ If you can’t answer at least 3 of these clearly, don’t share yet.

5) Mini Activity (Do this now)

Choose one item you saw recently (TikTok, WhatsApp forward, YouTube video, advert, news post).

Answer quickly:

1. Is it fact, opinion, or does it show bias?
2. What is the intent? (inform/persuade/entertain)
3. What is one credibility check you can do right now?

Write your answers in 3–5 lines in your notebook or phone notes.

6) Why this matters for Digital Change Makers

As a Digital Change Maker, you must do two things well:

1. Consume media wisely (don’t get fooled or manipulated)
2. Create media responsibly (truthful, ethical, respectful)

Your voice becomes more powerful when people trust your work.

✅ Key Takeaways (Remember this)

• Media literacy = question, verify, decide
• Fact can be proven; opinion is a feeling; bias is an angle
• Intent shapes how media is designed
• Credibility checks protect you from misinformation

What’s Next

Next lesson: SAMS Framework: How to Analyze and Give Feedback
You’ll learn a simple tool you’ll use all course long to analyze media and give helpful peer feedback.