Rewiring Trust: Digital Influencers, MIL, and the New Media Landscape

Resumo

This article examines the paradoxical relationship between widespread institutional distrust and emerging forms of trust in digital spaces, particularly focusing on the phenomenon of social media influencers. Drawing from recent data, I analyze how declining trust in traditional institutions correlates with increased trust in stranger-to-stranger interactions and digital influence. I introduce the "4 C model" (Content, Creativity, Community, and Coherence) as a framework for understanding digital influencer dynamics, so I can argue that Media and Information Literacy (MIL) serves as a crucial philosophical and practical framework for navigating this evolving landscape. MIL can facilitate critical engagement with digital content, authentication processes, and expertise evaluation while addressing questions of authenticity, authority, and cultural impact in networked spaces. My analysis suggests that MIL's effectiveness depends on its conception as a dynamic framework extending beyond traditional educational boundaries, fostering individual empowerment and collective understanding in an increasingly complex digital environment.