Media Literacy Monitor: how media literate is Flanders?

How good are you at spotting a phishing email, a hidden advertisement, or an incorrect AI-generated response? Through the 'Mediawijzer' (Media Literacy Indicator), we assessed the media literacy of over 4,400 Flemings—from Gen Z to the Silent Generation. Discover where Flanders excels and where it remains vulnerable.

Mediawijzer: hoe mediawijs is Vlaanderen?

Research theme: Disinformation and young people

Field of interest: Communication, Media and Design

Duration: 1/01/2026 - 30/09/2026

Financing: Overheidsopdrachten

In short

How media literate is Flanders? The Mediawijzer maps how Flemish people aged 16 to 98 deal with news, advertising, AI, algorithms, influencers, online safety and more. We surveyed over 4,400 people from five generations, from Gen Z to the Silent Generation. The study ran in 2026, commissioned by the Flemish Government. Discover where people in Flanders are strong, and where they are vulnerable.

Need and relevance

Online, news, advertising, opinions and AI-generated text constantly blend together. People who cannot tell who is behind a post, how a feed is put together or when an AI answer is wrong are more exposed to manipulation, scams and disinformation. Yet a broad picture of what people in Flanders actually know, can do and do in concrete media situations was missing. The Mediawijzer fills that gap as a baseline measurement for the new Media Literacy Action Plan.

From approach to impact

We developed a new measurement tool that breaks media literacy down into 11 domains. Through an online survey, participants were shown recognisable scenarios, real media examples, images and videos. Focus groups for each generation helped us interpret the results.
The results show solid basic reflexes: 87% recognise a phishing email. Subtler forms slip through more often: only 49% recognise a native ad. AI, algorithms and influencers are the main risk areas: