Framing the Narrative: A Qualitative Analysis of Social Media Platforms' Approaches to Media Literacy and Misinformation

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 11:45 am - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Implications of Public Opinion from Media Spaces Toward Education and Equity

Abstract

As social media platforms take on civic-facing roles through media literacy campaigns and misinformation interventions, it is critical to examine how they frame truth, responsibility, and digital citizenship. This study analyzes recent public-facing documents from TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X, asking: (1) what documents address misinformation or media literacy, and (2) how do platforms define misinformation? Guided by Gillespie’s (2018) concept of platforms as sociotechnical institutions and Kellner and Share’s (2005, 2007) Critical Media Literacy framework, the study uses qualitative document analysis and Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Findings suggest these texts prioritize institutional legitimacy over critical engagement, positioning platforms as informal educators whose discourse shapes public understandings of truth and civic responsibility.

Authors

• Danielle R. Brown, Florida Atlantic University

• Jillian Powers, Florida Atlantic University