Tell Lawmakers to Support Media Literacy in Missouri

I'm writing to urge you to support HB 1513, the Media Literacy and Critical Thinking Act.

Nowadays, our students' lives are shaped by social media algorithms that profit from outrage, complicated by sneaky stereotypes, and even hijacked by foreign misinformation campaigns. Too often, when we use media tools — from Tiktok to TV — we end up being used by them.

It's time to move beyond simple "digital citizenship" classes and help students learn to independently navigate the digital world. This bill would require 5-7 Missouri schools to pilot media literacy curricula from 2024-26, including topics like:

• cyberbullying prevention & cyber safety practices
• protections for freedom of speech online
• skills for independently evaluating messages on online platforms
• the significance of algorithms
• the economic structure of the digital landscape

These are essential media literacy skills. Media literacy education will equip our youngest citizens with a politically-neutral toolkit so that they can form opinions and make choices without undue influence. By learning to spot red flags, seek out primary sources, and ask questions about the possible biases of sources, Missouri's next generation will grow up to be independent consumers of citizens, and informed future voters for the 21st century.

Hi, how are you today? I am a constituent of Senator/Representative ____, and I'm calling to ask him/her to support HB 492, the Media Literacy and Critical Thinking Act. Would you be able to pass a message on?

Great, thanks. The Media Literacy and Critical Thinking Act would launch a media literacy education pilot program from 2024-26. The curricula developed in this program would lay the groundwork for Missouri students to learn to navigate cyberbullying, algorithms, misinformation, online protections for freedom of speech, and much more.

Media literacy is literacy for the 21st century, and I want to ensure that Missouri's next generation learns the skills they need for health, well-being, and full participation in economic and civic life. As a constituent, I believe that Senator/Representative shares these values and ask that he/she supports The Media Literacy and Critical Thinking Act.

Thank you for your time.