Examining Critical Approaches to Social Media Research and Literacy in Canada


Mélina Poulin, Carleton University

Social media platforms accompany most Canadians in their daily lives. On the one hand, they constitute valuable tools enabling commercial, informative and entertaining functions, as well as open civic spaces that can initiate large-scale social trends and political engagement. On the other hand, major social media platforms are designed for and fueled by the extraction and commodification of personal data. They incorporate algorithmic systems that are criticized for breaching privacy, enforcing or suppressing discourses, and sustaining misinformation or ideological polarization. Canadians are becoming increasingly concerned about the challenges of navigating social media platforms. However, most of them have not received any proper education on the subject. The learning opportunities that do exist are often scattered and designed for young people in a classroom setting, meaning most people rely on uncritical know-how skills gained from their own experiences. Without a proper understanding of the socio-technological implications of using social media, people may not be aware of how their ability to engage in safe, informed and meaningful online interactions is compromised. In light of these concerns, I explored existing options for advancing knowledge-making and education relating to social media in Canada. Social media research and digital/media literacy initiatives share the long-term goal of making new perspectives and knowledge about social media accessible, all the while advocating for safer and more empowering online practices. What had yet to be explored were the contrasts and similarities as well as strengths and gaps that characterize these interconnected fields. Therefore, I designed a multilayered qualitative study inspired by LeGreco and Tracy’s (2009) discourse tracing approach that allows for the assessment of a case study at micro, meso, and macro levels of manifestation in society. I first conducted interviews with digital or media literacy experts working in Canadian-based organizations. Their experiences in working with schools and various communities shed light on the challenges and conditions of educating about social media at local and organizational levels. In turn, I completed a narrative review of academic literature comprising social media and education research from the last 15 years. This review allowed me to compare and assess knowledge-making practices relating to social media across communities of knowledge in Canada and beyond. Finally, the broader themes that emerged from interviews and the narrative review were analyzed in conjunction, ultimately reflecting macro discourses on public and institutional responses to social media literacy in Canada. One of the key findings of this study pertains to the multifaceted challenges of accessibility of social media literacy in Canada. Interviewed experts have noted how educational materials and academic research do not consistently translate into inclusive or practical resources for educators and various audiences. Inequalities also exist when it comes to affording material and having access to learning settings. At last, a recurring concern is the scarcity and competition when it comes to securing resources and funding for educative projects. Another key aspect relating to social media research is how studies that received the most attention in recent years tend to put forward large-scale data analytics, techno-deterministic assumptions and limited conceptions of users agency, thus raising concerns about how such emerging knowledge informs state decisions, policy and education (Lim, 2022). Arguably, these challenges in education and research are indicative of a neoliberal society that upholds individualism, performativity, exclusion, and laissez-faire, which ironically mirrors the underlying motives of social media platforms. Conversely, I discuss promising alternatives and noteworthy approaches that promote critical self-awareness and social justice, as well as pedagogies and practices that depart from hegemonic modes of thinking. In sum, this research contributes to highlighting the challenges and promising avenues for advancing social media education as it fundamentally impacts our ability to deploy our political voice and agency in Canada today.

This paper will be presented at the following session: