Digital technologies have made media truly ubiquitous. Whether originated in established publishers or created by users, media content permeates and informs every aspect of our life. Yet, in order to make the most of the wealth of content available to them, people need to be able to make out what they wish from what they don’t, what is suitable from what isn’t. They need a chart and a compass to reap the rewards and fight off the risks of navigating an ocean that looks alluring and forbidding at the same time.
‘Disinformation’, ‘fake news’ and ‘post-truth’ are terms that have become commonplace in contemporary public debates. The terms are, ultimately, modern parlance for perennial phenomena such as propaganda and conspiracy theories. The advent of, and broad access to, digital technologies and the internet provide school students with far more access to information than any previous generation. Yet, they can also generate “powerful echo chambers for disinformation campaigns” (European Commission, 2018).
One of the biggest challenges in Bosnia and Herzegovina is the lack of formal media literacy education. Young people, being digital natives, often assume they are ready to easily navigate through the digital environment. However, they frequently lack the critical thinking skills needed to assess the credibility of information and sources. Inadequate media literacy education being present both in schools and at home, leaves many young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina vulnerable to manipulation.
The country’s complex political landscape and situation further worsen the problem. Bosnia and Herzegovina is divided into two semi-autonomous entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska. Both of those are home to different ethnic groups. Disinformation often exploits based on this division, using language and identity as tools to deepen mistrust and share false narratives. The young population who is growing up in this environment may easily fall for disinformation that aligns with their respective ethnic backgrounds.
Research “Children’s Media Habits and Parental Attitudes” done by UNICEF in 2020 showed that only one part of the parents set rules for how and when their child or children use information- communication devices, which only partially monitor whether children respect these rules. At the same time, children and parents lack adequate support for increasing their knowledge about the safe use of media and information-communication technologies, particularly institutional support. The consequence of this is that children and parents tend to believe that they know enough about this issue, while the data obtained indicates the opposite (e.g. data on exposure of children to television content that has negatively impacted them or on unsuitable content on the internet). (https://www.unicef.org/bih/media/5871/file/Children’s%20Media%20Habits%20and%20Parental%20Attitudes.pdf)
It can be said that media literacy and misinformation are very important issues for young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina. While steps have been taken to address this problem, there is still a long way to go. Legitimizing media education, encouraging critical thinking and promoting digital literacy are important steps on a generation that is prepared to confront misinformation only through collective efforts and insights can Bosnia and Herzegovina hope to safeguard its information environment and prevent an informational divide among its young citizens.