The Kids Aren’t Alright: They’re Being Out-Read by the Internet

Abstract

This meta-analysis explores the urgent need for critical media literacy (CML) in K-12 education at a time when digital environments are engineered to manipulate, polarize, and overwhelm. Grounded in critical theory and postmodernism, the paper synthesizes recent literature to expose the shortcomings of current media literacy approaches—namely their emotional avoidance, structural silence, and lack of ideological critique. Drawing on works by Jason Stanley and others, the author argues that students are not just consuming content—they’re being consumed by it. This paper offers actionable recommendations for educators and curriculum designers working to resist disinformation, clickbait culture, and the commodification of truth.