Open dialogues about media literacy and factual information can create conflict; why does this happen?

Having open dialogues about media literacy and factual information will 100% create conflict. Media literacy influences how one extracts information from media. The influencing factors are : Who created the message? What creative techniques are used to attract my attention? How might different people interpret the message differently? What lifestyles, values and points of view are represented in or omitted from the message? Why was this message created? 

Say a politician made media post about environmental issues and his plan is to solve these issues. An onlooker reads this post and agrees with the politician points and believes his plan is sufficient. The outlooker could blindly have these views because of their own cognitive biases. For instance, the onlooker had a very environmentally conscience upbringing therefore the environmental issues may be magnified for them. Additionally, they might also have confirmation bias as the information presented by the politician already aligns with their own existing views.Other biases at play could include present bias, if the environmental plan involves immediate action and results, people reading it may be more open-minded to the idea versus if it was a long-term plan. Distortion bias could also lead to fabrication or misleading information; people have a tendency to report what other people are reporting and agreeing to. The onlooker is definitely swayed towards a particular opinion because of all these previously mentioned factors and if another onlooker was reading the same information they could have conflicting views.

What is the benefit of having a PLN that values media literacy?

Media sources provide easy access to information quickly but can be difficult to derive useful information free of biases. Making sure everyone in your PLN values media literacy and is critically thinking about research framework will allow you to derive and share more factual information that is better related to your own life. Say you wanted to buy a new cell phone and asked for advice through your own PLN. Many phone companies using media to promote their product using creative tactics that exaggerate their features and hide their own pitfalls. Having a PLN that can critically think and understands media literacy would aid in effectively evaluating the information being presented and derive useful information with confidence. Through your PLN you would have a better view of what phone matches and delivers on your ideal needs.