Media Literacy among Youth in Sakon Nakhon Province

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the media literacy skills and their implications for democratic citizenship among young people in Sakon Nakhon Province. Using a qualitative research methodology, the study utilized focus group discussions and employed a purposive sampling method to select 120 representatives from Mathayomsuksa 4 - 6, who actively participated as key informants. The participants were later divided into 10 groups of 12 students for the interviews. The findings revealed that the informants possess knowledge, understanding, and access to a diverse range of media. Through comparative content analysis, they demonstrated the ability to interpret media content using cause-and-effect reasoning. Moreover, they exhibited comprehension of the production process, recognizing media content as a constructed entity. Moreover, the informants emphasized the importance of analyzing data and carefully verifying information before sharing it, cautioning against falling prey to misinformation or ill-intentioned groups. The study identified the preference of informants for online media as a communication channel, perceiving it as a platform that encourages them to express their opinions freely and caters to various learning styles. However, the study highlighted potential threats to individual rights and ethical concerns such as online fraud, illegal communications, and inappropriate language usage that causes an overuse of casual written language, underscoring the responsibility of media producers for their content. The research advocates for the application of ethical standards from traditional media to online platforms.