(NewsNation) — California will require all K-12 students to learn media literacy skills, such as recognizing fake news to push back against the surge of misinformation online.
“I’ve seen the impact that misinformation has had in the real world — how it affects the way people vote, whether they accept the outcomes of elections, try to overthrow our democracy,” said Assemblymember Marc Berman who sponsored the bill to change the curriculum. “This is about making sure our young people have the skills they need to navigate this landscape.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 873 last month. It requires educators to add a framework of media literacy to existing English language arts, science, math and history-social studies curriculums.
The law comes amid a rising distrust in media, particularly among young people.
According to a 2022 Pew Research Center study, adults under 30 are almost as likely to believe the information they see on social media as information from national news outlets. A Gallup poll conducted in 2022 revealed only 7% of adults have “a great deal of trust” in the media.
Advocates believe teaching students how to evaluate news sources and the role media plays in democracy will help.
AB 873 passed nearly unanimously in the Legislature, highlighting the nonpartisan nature of the topic. Around the country, Texas, New Jersey and Delaware have also passed media literacy laws.