Cynical or critical media consumers? Exploring the misinformation literacy needs of South African youth

Media and information literacy (MIL) has long been part of academic curricula in many parts of the world, including South Africa. More recently, the rise of misinformation on the continent has emphasised the importance of including misinformation literacy (ML) skills into these programmes. Such skills involve distinguishing different types of inaccurate content, authenticating online information, and using technology to verify images/videos. Drawing on focus group discussions at eight South African universities, and six interviews with educators, this paper explores responses to a new ML curriculum developed by Africa Check, a fact-checking organisation. Findings reveal two distinct reactions to in-class discussions about misinformation and its consequences. After engaging with the material, some students described themselves as more critical media consumers, recognising the media as a contested space where certain sources are more reliable. Others, however, exhibited a high degree of cynicism, unable to identify any trustworthy information source and showing signs of becoming “news avoiders”. These findings underscore the need to develop curricula that empower critical media consumption while addressing the risks of fostering cynicism. We offer recommendations for advancing ML and hypothesise why some students may lean towards blank distrust and disengagement with the media.