Media and Information Literacy
FoundationUse media wisely: verify news, respect intellectual property, protect privacy, and be a responsible forwarder.
- Media report news, entertain and watch over society.
- Verify in three steps: check the source, find evidence, compare reports.
- Say no to illegal downloading; always cite your sources.
文體小知識：生活常識說明文教你實用知識，這一篇教你精明地接收和使用傳媒資訊。
§Text Passage
1Newspapers, television, radio and online news platforms are all media. They do three important jobs for us every day: they report the news, so we know what happens here and around the world; they entertain us with dramas, films and variety shows; and they watch over society, as reporters investigate problems and uncover wrongdoing to make society fairer. Media power is great, so journalists must report truthfully — and we must be smart readers and viewers.
2Online information is vast but not all true: some is spread by mistake, some invented on purpose. When a message arrives, ask three questions first: Who sent it? Is there a reliable source? Have other trustworthy media reported it? If you see a shocking message that something has happened somewhere, check the news websites or official notices instead of believing it at once. This habit of checking is called thinking carefully and discerning — the heart of information literacy and a required lesson for every online citizen.
3Creators' work is protected by intellectual property: books written by authors, songs sung by singers, pictures drawn by artists and films made by directors all belong to them. Without permission, we must not download or upload these works illegally, and buying pirated copies encourages infringement too. When homework quotes online material, name the source, such as the book title or web address; copying an article wholesale as your own work is dishonest and violates intellectual property. Respect creation, and creators can keep making good work for us.
4Everyone has a right to privacy, and personal data should not be shared freely. Names, phone numbers, addresses, photos and school names are all personal data; before uploading, think: could these details hurt me or someone else? Without consent, never take photos of classmates for the internet, and never reveal other people's information — such behaviour is rude and may break the law. When filling in online forms, check whether the site is trustworthy, and never hand personal data to strangers.
5Information literacy means using information wisely and responsibly: knowing how to search, how to verify, how to respect creation and how to protect privacy. Verify before forwarding, cite sources in homework, follow the rules when downloading and using, and ask consent before taking and posting photos. Do these things and you are a responsible user of information — and the online world is safer and more honest because of citizens like you.
1Summary 重點摘要
Use media wisely: verify news, respect intellectual property, protect privacy, and be a responsible forwarder.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
Channels that carry news and information to the public.
The ability to use information wisely and responsibly.
A piece of news spread without proof, possibly false.
To check whether something is true.
Thinking carefully and judging what is true and right.
The rights that protect people's creative work.
The right of a work's owner to control its use.
Copying others' work and passing it off as your own.
The right to keep personal matters and data to oneself.
Information about you, such as name, phone and photos.
3Step by step Steps
- Step 1: Know the three functions of mediaMedia are the channels that carry news to the public: newspapers, television, radio, news websites and social platforms. They have three main functions. First, reporting news — typhoon signals, traffic arrangements and current affairs — so we know what is going on. Second, entertaining us: cartoons, dramas and music shows add colour to life. Third, watching over society: reporters uncover wrongdoing so problems get fixed. We spend hours with media every day, so learn to receive them smartly — know what they say and why — and you will not be misled.
- Step 2: Three steps to tell true from falseNot everything online is true, and checking takes three steps. Step one, check the source: who sent it — a government department, a trusted news outlet, or a nameless account? Step two, find evidence: are there photos, figures or references? Words plus a row of exclamation marks are very suspicious. Step three, compare sources: search whether other reliable media report the same thing; a single source means doubt. Be extra alert to messages urging you to forward quickly — the more they rush you, the calmer you should be. The habit of checking keeps you from being fooled.
- Step 3: Understand intellectual propertyIntellectual property protects creators' hard work. Novels, songs, illustrations and films are all protected by copyright. Without the owner's permission, uploading films to share, bootlegging movies in cinemas and downloading pirated comics are all infringement, which can lead to prosecution and compensation; in Hong Kong the Customs and Excise Department fights piracy. Respecting IP is not just a slogan: listen on licensed platforms, buy tickets or genuine discs, and check whether a picture may be used before using it. Fair rewards let creators keep making good work for us to enjoy.
- Step 4: Cite sources, refuse to copyProjects and homework often rely on other people's material — remember two rules. First, cite your sources: whenever you quote a passage or use a chart, note beside it which book or website it came from; this respects the original author and helps the teacher check. Second, never plagiarise: copying a whole article from the internet as your own work is cheating — you learn nothing, and the teacher cannot assess you. The right way is to read and understand, express it in your own words, and list your references — honest and enriching.
- Step 5: Protect the right to privacyPrivacy means personal data and private life free from interference. Names, phone numbers, addresses, photos, schools and grades are all personal data. Protect yourself: do not type real personal details carelessly into forms and games, and set privacy options on social platforms so strangers cannot see your posts. Respect others: ask before photographing classmates, and never upload people's photos or details without consent; even a joke must not expose someone's secrets. Hong Kong has laws governing the use of personal data, and serious violations can bring legal responsibility.
- Step 6: Be a responsible forwarderIn group chats and on social platforms, everyone can spread messages, so forward responsibly. When an unverified message arrives, run the three checking steps: check the source, find evidence, compare reports; if it proves false, do not pass it on, and remind family and classmates to be careful. Even true messages need thought: other people's privacy, scary or vulgar content should not be shared. Forwarding is a duty, not a flick of the finger; pause once, and a rumour travels one step less. Being a responsible forwarder is a key lesson of information literacy.
- Step 7: Read media messages smartlyMedia messages are often selected and packaged, so be a smart audience. Advertisements film products perfectly to tempt you; games and cartoons may exaggerate and should not be taken as real; headlines aim to catch eyes and sometimes drift from the content, so read the whole article — never conclude from the headline alone. Also ask: what does this message want me to believe? What does it want me to do? What other angles does it leave out? Practise this reflection and your eyes grow sharper, so you are not easily misled.
5Worked example Example
Example: in the class group chat, someone suddenly forwards a message: I hear the whole school is off tomorrow — pass it on! No source is given. What should Long do to be a responsible forwarder?
- Long holds back and does not forward. The message has no source and no evidence, only urging words — very suspicious.
- He checks: the school website and the Education Bureau carry no such notice, and the Observatory has issued no severe weather warning.
- He reminds the group: I checked the school website — there is no suspension notice, so do not spread it. It turns out to be a rumour.
- Long then teaches the group the three checking steps — check the source, find evidence, compare reports — and the group sees fewer fake messages.
- Answer: Long did three right things: first, he did not forward a doubtful message at once; second, he verified through official channels — the school website, the Education Bureau, the Observatory — and found it was a rumour; third, he reminded classmates to stop spreading and taught them how to check. A responsible forwarder verifies first and shares later; when in doubt, pause, and rumours cannot travel far.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1What are the three functions of the media?
Q2What should you do with a doubtful message?
Q3What does illegal downloading violate?
Q4How should you use online material in homework?
Q5What is violated by posting a classmate's photo without consent?
8Recap Recap
- Media report news, entertain and watch over society.
- Verify in three steps: check the source, find evidence, compare reports.
- Say no to illegal downloading; always cite your sources.
- Never copy homework; respect intellectual property.
- Protect personal data and be a responsible forwarder.