What Is Digital Literacy? | Meaning & Examples

Digital literacy is the ability to effectively and critically find, evaluate, and communicate information in digital contexts. It is a blend of technological and cognitive abilities.

What is digital literacy?

“Literacy” on its own means “the ability to read and write.” So, one way to define digital literacy is the ability to read and write digitally. However, digital literacy encompasses a much wider set of skills—from configuring a new laptop to discerning the validity of a website.

Digital literacy initially focused on skills needed to manage desktop computers and navigate the early Internet. Nowadays it extends to newer areas of technology, like mobile devices, social media, and AI. And as institutions digitize their archives, records, and articles, digital literacy (and more specifically, information literacy) is important for research, too.

Digital literacy evolves alongside technology, so we’ll probably see further changes in the field over the coming years.

Why is digital literacy important?

A large part of digital literacy today is being able to figure out what is true and false on the internet. Digital literacy helps people evaluate online information critically, protecting them from misinformation.

Some other reasons why digital literacy is important are:

  • A mastery of online tools is often a requirement in education and career advancement.
  • Understanding the digital context helps address inequalities between those who can effectively use or access technology and those who can’t.
  • Evaluating sources of online information is essential for informed citizenship, especially as voters face more and more fake news.
  • Understanding privacy and safety features helps people protect themselves and their children when using online tools and platforms.
  • Using technologies like video conferencing, social media, and messaging apps help strengthen social bonds, especially when families or friends are physically separated.
  • Access to digital tools supports creators, inventors, and entrepreneurs.
  • Online education supports lifelong learning and levels the playing field for people from geographical areas that may not have access to traditional education.

Digital literacy examples

Digital literacy skills range from basic to advanced. Some of these skills can be acquired with a simple computer; others may require intense studying or experience to master.

Digital literacy skills examples
Difficulty Examples
Basic Turn on devices such as smartphones and laptops
Make a call and send a text message using a smartphone
Navigate the Internet with browsers and search engines
Send and receive emails
Research a source of information (news article, social media post, etc)
Write an essay or letter in a word processing document
Intermediate Turn on and use two-factor authentication
Understand when and what to share online
Understand how social media works in regards to friends, followers, share settings, and algorithms
Use a Grammar Checker or Paraphraser to analyze and improve your writing
Access online sources you plan to use in academic writing and properly cite sources using a style guide or Citation Generator
Safely use sharing technologies (WiFi, Bluetooth, AirDrop, etc)
Advanced Use tools like Excel or SQL for data analysis
Use an AI Checker or Plagiarism Checker to analyze suspicious documents and detect AI writing
Configure firewalls, encrypt sensitive data, and manage secure networks
Understand how algorithms, machine learning, and natural language processing work to power applications and AI

Frequently asked questions about digital literacy

What is digital literacy in education?

Digital literacy in education is the ability of both students and teachers to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information digitally. Digital literacy in education is particularly important in blended learning contexts.

Some examples of digital literacy in education are:

  • Having classes via video call
  • Writing and submitting essays online
  • Extracting and analyzing data from an LMS

Teachers using a Plagiarism Checker to analyze suspicious work

Why is digital literacy important in the workplace?

Digital literacy is important in the workplace because nowadays nearly all jobs incorporate digital components.

Digital literacy is very important in the remote workplace. Mastering digital communication and collaboration tools is essential for remote teams. It’s also important for workplace security and protecting company information.

Digital literacy is also important for general workplace efficiency. Using digital tools makes many jobs easier and faster to do.

For example, running a QuillBot Grammar Check can help employees pick up on errors in their writing faster than most human eyes can.

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Kate Santoro, BS

Kate has a BS in journalism. She has taught English as a second language in Spain to students of all ages for a decade. She also has experience in content management and marketing.