"MEDIA LITERACY IN PUBLIC HEALTH COMMUNICATION: NAVIGATING ETHICAL DILEMMAS"

Abstract

The advent of digital media and social networking has dramatically changed the way people receive, assess and disseminate public health information. Digital media can be a great tool for timely access to health information, but it can also be a way for misinformation and disinformation to be presented quickly. This has made the role of media literacy more important in order to be able to critically evaluate messages related to health, identify messages from unreliable sources and make decisions based on the available information.  The current research explores the concept of media literacy in public health communication, especially the ethical issues of health information in digital contexts. The study uses a quantitative survey design, targeting the social media users and explores the relationship between media literacy, the capacity to detect health misinformation, trust in health information and health decisions. Ethical issues such as privacy, informed consent, accuracy, manipulation, responsibility and freedom of expression are also discussed. The study revealed a correlation between greater media literacy and a more critical evaluation of health information and the ability to identify potentially misleading information. It also concludes that media literacy is to be complemented by responsible communication practices of health authorities, media organisations and digital platforms. Health misinformation can have negative consequences and media literacy can help to increase the effectiveness of public health communication.