The Agency wishes to inform the public that Petra Zupančič, editor of the MiPi media and information literacy portal, was a guest on the programme *Omizje* ‘Summer – Media Literacy’ on TV Slovenija, where she spoke about the challenges of media and information literacy in the age of algorithms, influencers and artificial intelligence.
As a convergent regulator, the Agency, in addition to its responsibilities in the field of regulation and supervision, also pays particular attention to the protection of end-users. As part of these efforts, it has been running the MiPi portal for the seventh year running, through which it actively and promptly informs and raises awareness amongst users and the wider public on topics within its remit.
Zupančič emphasised that media literacy is an important life skill today, as users need to be able to critically assess information, verify sources and understand how the media and online platforms use algorithms to shape the content we see. She also drew particular attention to the difference between content produced by influencers and journalistic reporting, and to the importance of critically evaluating their messages.
She also spoke about our increasing exposure to content created by artificial intelligence. At a time when it is becoming increasingly difficult to verify the authenticity of photographs, videos and audio, she believes it is crucial to develop basic media literacy skills, whilst new regulations in the field of artificial intelligence will contribute to greater transparency and the labelling of certain content.
She paid particular attention to children and parents, and to the importance of healthy and responsible screen usage habits. She emphasised that teaching children how to use technology safely and responsibly is more important than simply banning it. She advises parents to set a good example for their children, to be familiar with their digital environment, and to talk to them about online content and potential risks. In doing so, it is also important to be aware of the age recommendations for using online platforms and apps, which for the most popular ones are often set at 13 years or older, and to understand why age restrictions are in place in the first place, taking into account children’s age and stage of development. MiPi therefore strives to further raise awareness amongst parents and other users about these recommendations and risks.
MiPi currently brings together more than 25 partners, and its aim is to become a national hub for media and information literacy. “Our aim is for users to be able to find all the information they need for the safe use of media and digital services in one place,” emphasised Zupančič.
In addition to the practical aspects, the programme’s participants also highlighted that media literacy education is not solely the responsibility of schools, but increasingly a shared responsibility of the family environment, the media, the state and digital service providers.
