Kuala lumpur: Media literacy among the public needs to be strengthened so that people are better equipped to critically evaluate information and identify misleading content amid the rapid evolution of the digital media landscape, Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said. She highlighted the importance of distinguishing between credible information and manipulated content as society enters an era driven by generative artificial intelligence, which is reshaping the global media ecosystem.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Teo addressed these concerns in her keynote speech at the industry dialogue themed 'Balancing Virality and Responsibility: Journalism Amid Speed, Trust and Impact'. She emphasized the need for a resilient, innovative, and trusted media ecosystem by 2030 in Malaysia. Efforts to fortify media literacy should be paired with enhanced training in AI, digital verification, and information security to prepare Malaysian journalists for future challenges.

Teo called for collaboration among the media industry, universities, and the government in talent development and research related to media transformation. She noted the unprecedented scale of content production, which complicates the public's ability to differentiate between accurate and manipulated information. The challenge in the attention economy is that algorithms often prioritize content that provokes strong emotional reactions over the most accurate or beneficial content.

Despite the pressure to deliver news swiftly across multiple platforms, Teo stressed that the core principles of journalism must remain unchanged-facts need verification, and truth should be prioritized. The race to be the first to break news has intensified as audiences demand real-time information, posing a dilemma for media organizations balancing speed with accuracy.

Teo emphasized that the future of media depends not only on virality but also on maintaining public trust. Trust is cultivated when the media acknowledges and corrects mistakes transparently and prioritizes public interest over sensationalism. She advocated for responsible self-regulation of the dynamic media industry, rather than excessive state intervention.

This approach has informed the MADANI Government's establishment of the Malaysian Media Council (MMC), successfully formed in 2025 after extensive discussions and advocacy. Teo noted that Phase Two of the council's complaints mechanism, implemented on April 8, has shown promising progress, having received 14 complaints on issues like reporting accuracy and unauthorized use of images, of which 12 have been resolved.