Opening Statement from NAMLE’s Youth Advisory Council
What We Believe
As students, we understand firsthand how deeply social media is woven into our everyday lives. For many of us, it’s a go-to source for connection, entertainment, and stress relief — but too often, it leaves us feeling drained, overwhelmed, or disconnected from ourselves and others.
That’s why we created this video series. Our goal is to open up a conversation about what it really means to incorporate wellness into our media habits. From filter bubbles and algorithm-driven content to the spread of misinformation and the toll on mental health, we’re taking a closer look at how media impacts us — and how we can take back control.
Media literacy is more than just understanding what we see online — it’s about recognizing why we see it, questioning its accuracy, and learning how to engage in ways that support our wellbeing. By sharing how we’ve incorporated media literacy skills into our everyday lives, we hope to encourage other young people to reflect on their media use and make more mindful choices.
Together, we can build healthier, more informed relationships with the digital world.
Let’s Dive In!
Maggie
As a college student, I have to use my devices for both academics and leisure. Sometimes when I’m on my phone or computer too much, I feel drained and overwhelmed. A crucial part of media literacy is knowing when to step away and monitor your device usage. I decided to make my video about reclaiming my screen time. I made my video in a day-in-my-life format because I’ve seen these types of videos all over my feed. I wanted to show steps to reduce screen usage in a digestible and relatable way. This is a really important topic to me, as so many young people are spending more and more time on their screens. Although it’s important to consume media and stay educated on what’s going on in the world, it’s also important to take breaks to maintain a healthy digital wellness.
Eashan
As a digital native, I’ve not only noticed the sheer amount of media that’s consumed on a daily basis, but also the dangers of misinformation. If people are oblivious to the media they are consuming, false information will begin to spread like a wildfire. Enter media literacy: the ability to analyze and discern stories presented in mass media. Media literacy is an absolute necessity in the digital era, without which people may become the victims of scams and other attacks caused by the consumption of falsified information. Beyond media literacy, people also must be mindful of the amount of time they spend on media. As social media interaction skyrockets, people are spending less time with their friends and family and more on platforms that have the potential to worsen their mental health. Thus, it’s crucial to not only determine truthfulness in media when consuming but also to limit usage as a whole.
Pride
My topic of incorporating wellness into our everyday media consumption resonated with me deeply as a college student who uses social media to destress, but often finds it leaves me with the opposite effect. I hope this video will be a source of encouragement that viewers are not alone in how they feel using social media platforms, and to take a step back and verify information to ensure they’re sharing facts and not fiction online.
Pranav
I chose the topic of filter bubbles because I’ve noticed how often people, including myself, can get stuck in online spaces where we only see information that agrees with existing beliefs. These echo chambers affect our understanding of the world and make connecting with others who think differently much harder. I hope my video raises awareness about how algorithms shape what we see, inspires others to seek diverse views, and become more mindful of how technology influences their perspective.
Khadeejah
As a young person growing up in a changing media landscape, I was fascinated by the ways in which media shaped our world. Media depicted a present and a future, told stories about the past, and allowed for a space of imagination through a screen. But as a Muslim, South Asian American, the lack of media representation was troubling. Yet, my passion for language and narratives never left me, leading me to the world of journalism and writing. As I wrote news stories for my campus newspaper or local outlets, I was empowered by the power of the word to not only represent but also mobilize communities. As I approach media literacy today, I think about the questions I asked about whether or not the media landscape serves all communities to its best ability – it is at the core of these questions that inspired me to create media of my own.
Sadie
When choosing my topic, I aimed to find a deeper understanding of social media’s impact on my daily life, in hopes that others could do the same. It is important that people become aware of their personal social media habits to build a healthy and balanced relationship with the media, allowing usage when wanted, but preventing addiction. Media literacy is the knowledge of the backstory behind the types of media we see, and allows us to use media in a beneficial way.
Jenna
Learning about media literacy made me pause and reconsider how I was spending my time online. I became more aware of how easily I could fall into cycles of doomscrolling, how quickly outrage or sensationalism could dominate my feed, and how little of what I consumed was actually aligned with what I valued or wanted to learn. It completely changed my screen time habits. Taking control of my algorithm is just one example of why I see media literacy as a tool for empowerment. It’s not just about knowing how media works — it’s about reclaiming our time, focus, and mental energy in a digital world that’s designed to keep us hooked. We all deserve to navigate online spaces with awareness, confidence, and agency.
Lucia
The premise of my video touches on answering three key media literacy questions, which guide the viewer through healthy ways to be aware and mindful of the media they engage with. I feel that this topic is very relevant, especially in my generation. Social media is nearly unavoidable; there is more and more misinformation that is increasingly available to everyone via digital platforms, and mental health challenges affect youth of all ages.
Flora
My focus on digital detoxes taught me the value of looking at your media consumption from an outside lens. As the head of a student-led media literacy organization, I will now use my platform to recommend the practice of taking a step back to analyze what content you consume. I hope others will use this strategy to reset and reflect.