A new national survey has revealed that while adult Australians are heavy users of digital media, their confidence in navigating online spaces and understanding emerging technologies remains limited.
The study, conducted between January and April 2024 by researchers from Western Sydney University, the University of Canberra, and Queensland University of Technology, surveyed 4,442 adults about their media literacy skills and digital experiences. It follows the inaugural survey carried out in 2021.
According to the findings, two-thirds of adults (65%) use three or more different media formats daily. Those who regularly engage with a diverse range of media report higher confidence in their abilities, yet overall confidence remains low and has changed very little since 2021.
The survey also found that four in ten adult Australians have experimented with text-focused generative AI services. However, there is a strong overall negative sentiment toward this technology, with the majority of adults wanting regulation to mitigate potential harms.
Misinformation remains a pressing concern. Many adults report encountering false or misleading information frequently, and four out of five (80%) want stronger action to address its spread—a 6% increase since 2021. Almost all respondents who support action on misinformation (94%) agree that people need to be taught how to identify misinformation.
Demand for media literacy education
Lead author Associate Professor Tanya Notley, School of Humanities and Communication Arts and Institute for Culture and Society at Western Sydney University, highlighted the gap between widespread media use and limited digital confidence.
“Most adult Australians are not confident about their ability to identify false and misleading information online, create a video and post it online, edit a digital photo, change social media privacy settings, or seek help from relevant authorities if they are being harassed online,” she said.
“We found that there is overwhelming demand among Australians for adult and school-based media literacy education. However, too many Australians have not received any form of media literacy education or they don’t have access to support when they need it,” Notley added.
The survey found that while most Australians (68%) have heard of the term “media literacy,” only one-third (33%) have some understanding of what it means. Awareness is lowest among older adults, those with lower education levels, and lower household incomes.
“There is an urgent need for more media literacy educational resources and support to address the media interests, needs, deficiencies and concerns of adult Australians. Australians want action—from governments, media companies and education providers—on issues that concern them such as online misinformation, the exploitation of their private data, racist or racially insensitive broadcast content, and risks to society that are associated with generative AI,” Notley said.
Professor Sora Park from the University of Canberra emphasised the need for timely programs.
“Australians want to know more about the rapidly changing media environment. They want to be educated about how to protect themselves and their family from scams and misinformation. However, support is not always readily available. Targeted media literacy programs are needed especially for those who have lower levels of media literacy including regional, less educated, older and people living with a disability,” she said.
Notley also noted the modest progress since 2021.
“This is likely the result of the advocacy efforts of the Australian Media Literacy Alliance (AMLA) and the work of Australian organisations who have implemented media literacy programs for young people, or training for teachers and librarians in recent years,” she said.
“We recommend that media literacy should be more actively promoted by governments, public institutions, education providers, policymakers, and the corporate sector.”
The survey was funded by Meta Australia and the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (DITRDCA), with support from the AMLA. The report is part of the Advancing Media Literacy in Australia research program at Western Sydney University.
For more information, read and download Adult Media Literacy in 2024: Australian Attitudes, Experiences and Needs here.