Abstract:

On the basis of several researches, which were carried out by domestic as well as international institutions, it can be concluded that the level of media literacy among the Slovak population is considerably low. One of the tools through which it is possible to increase the level of media literacy is the development and support of critical thinking, especially among young people. In Slovakia, there is still no accredited education course focused on the development of critical thinking, and thus media literacy. An insufficient level of media literacy can have far-reaching effects not only on the spread of hoaxes and misinformation, but ultimately also on criminal or other anti-social activities. In extreme cases, a person's life and health can be threatened, as evidenced during the pandemic related to the COVID-19 disease, when many people lost their lives due to the influence of trust in false information. The aim of the contribution is to point out the negative effects of the spread of hoaxes and misinformation and to propose a course for the development of critical thinking, which will be implemented within the Slovak school system. From a methodological point of view, basic statistical methods, as well as the results of surveys carried out by domestic and international institutions, will be used to process the contribution. The paper will also present the results of own criminological research, which was aimed at investigating the relationship between critical thinking, media literacy and the emergence of anti-social activity.

Keywords:

Critical thinking, media literacy, criminology, school system, hoax.