Encyclopedia

Media literacy experts Renee Hobbs and Paul Michailidis have published in collaboration with the International Communication Association the first encyclopedia of media literacy. 

"Dynamic, multidisciplinary, and global in scope, media literacy is one of today’s fastest growing fields of applied communications. Media literacy encompasses a truly vast range of issues, including participatory culture, digital learning, civic engagement, the impact of media on children, the sociocultural and political dimensions of literacy education, the role of media in shaping social identity, activism, digital teaching and learning, the role of media in shaping health behavior, the impact of news on society, and adolescent development, to name just a few. The first of its kind in ambition and scope, The International Encyclopedia of Media Literacy provides global coverage of this dynamic and swiftly moving topic. As wide ranging and inclusive as the subject it treats, this encyclopedia offers a perspective on the past, present and future of media literacy around the world. ..." 

MIOS researchers have contributed with chapters on advertising literacy, internet safety and sexting:

• Advertising Literacy, Brahim Zarouali, Michel Walrave, Koen Ponnet, Karolien Poels. 

Nowadays, children are confronted with a considerable amount of advertising, not only through traditional media channels, but also through a wide range of (new) digital formats such as advergames, social media advertising, and product placements. This raises the important issue of whether children are able to critically recognize and understand these persuasive attempts; in other words, do children possess the necessary advertising literacy? In this entry, a concise and comprehensive overview will be presented on the topic of advertising literacy among children. Several issues will be addressed, such as children as a target group, the different perspectives on advertising literacy, and the comparison with the advertising literacy of adults. After that, this entry will dwell on the socialization and cognitive developmental view on advertising literacy. Then, children's level of advertising literacy for different advertising formats will be addressed, followed by how to improve this literacy in particular. Finally, challenges for future advertising literacy research will be presented.

• Internet Safety, Lies De Kimpe, Michel Walrave, Koen Ponnet, Joris van Ouytsel.

This entry gives an overview of the different risks both minors and adults can encounter online. A distinction is made between aggression risks (e.g., cyberbullying, cyberstalking), sexual risks (e.g., online pornography, sexting), value‐related risks (e.g., pro‐anorexia sites), and commercial risks (e.g., phishing, gambling). For each risk, prevalence rates and potential effects on the physical and psychological well‐being of Internet users are discussed. Furthermore, this entry points out several stakeholders that may contribute to the prevention of online risk and harm.

• Sexting, Joris Van Ouytsel, Michel Walrave, Koen Ponnet, Jeff R. Temple. 

This entry discusses sexting, the sending of self‐made sexually explicit text messages, images, and videos through a computer or a mobile phone. It provides an overview of how the study of sexting has evolved, as well as of the different domains of research, including motives for individuals to engage in sexting, psychological associations of sexting, and the link between sexting and other risky behaviors. Finally, this entry discusses the challenges for future sexting research.

For more information on the chapters, please contact the authors. 

More information on the encyclopedia