Have you ever thought about how the media works within institutions and how decision-makers consider the media messages that should reach you?
This process may seem somewhat complex, but with media awareness, it becomes much easier. But what is media awareness?
It is an understanding of the process of producing media messages and their objectives, which makes us immune to intellectual control, misleading news, forgery, and distortion of facts. So Media Literacy is your weapon to protect yourself from manipulation and false information.”
Sarah Al-Sabouni, a high school student, says that she believes everything she sees on social media, especially regarding the stereotypical image of women and the greed in buying skin care products, which made her think all the time about buying to be beautiful. She became depressed because she could not keep up with the beauty of the girls she followed on TikTok.“I even stopped trusting scientific studies,” Sarah admits. “I started believing the misleading information about plastic surgery. I no longer knew which sources to trust or what beauty really means
Sarah’s story reflects a broader reality that many people experience today. Media messages are not neutral; they are designed to capture attention, evoke emotional responses, and sometimes promote commercial or ideological objectives. Without awareness, audiences can easily become victims of manipulation — buying products they don’t need or adopting unrealistic standards of beauty and success.
Developing media literacy means learning to pause and question: Who created this message? Why was it made? What feelings does it want to provoke? This simple habit can transform how we interact with everything we see online.
In a world flooded with images, videos, and constant updates, media literacy is no longer optional — it is essential. By understanding how the media works and what lies behind the messages we consume, we protect our minds from being controlled by hidden agendas.
The next time you scroll through your social media feed, remember: awareness is your power. Don’t let the media shape your reality — let knowledge do it
KHULOD HADAQ
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