Abolish Censorship and Adopt Critical Media Literacy: A Proactive Approach to Media and Youth in the Middle East

This paper challenges the dominant patronizing approach to youth and media in the Middle East and argues that the calls for censorship of youth media exposure are obsolete and counterproductive. It argues that although censorship advocates have a legitimate concern over media risks, their approaches are ineffective, short-lived and alienating, disregarding the potential that media hold for young people. The author believes that elites in MENA should shift their focus to empower youth to use media to learn; to voice their worldviews and experiences; and to work for the betterment of themselves and their societies. The paper recommends two strategies: (1) the adoption of a proactive approach towards youth and media through the introduction of critical media literacy in education in MENA, and (2) the collaboration between the government, businesses, and the rest of society to advance the pedagogical resources of critical media literacy for Arabic speaking youth and educators.