Social Media Literacy and Health Information-Seeking Behavior Among School Students and Educators in India: A Needs Assessment Under Project Info-Suraksha

PurposeThe increasing use of social media has made social media literacy vital for promoting safe, responsible, and informed online engagement.This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, behaviors, and practices of school students and educators regarding social media usage and online health information seeking.The central research question focused on understanding how effectively students and educators navigate digital spaces and assess the credibility of online health information. MethodsA cross-sectional mixed-methods needs assessment study was conducted across five Indian cities, encompassing 15 schools per city representing public, semi-private, and private institutions.The total sample included 2,331 students (grades 9-12) and 373 educators.A mixed-method approach, integrating quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, was used. ResultsInternet access was reported by 97.5% of students and all educators.Among students, WhatsApp (Meta Platforms, Inc., Menlo Park, California, United States) (88.6%),YouTube (Alphabet Inc., Mountain View, California, United States) (85.2%), and Instagram (Meta Platforms, Inc.) (64%) were the most used platforms.Both social media (60.5%) and traditional media (58.5%) were primary sources of health information.While 88.4% of educators and 77.7% of students searched for health news online mainly via WhatsApp, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook (Meta Platforms, Inc.), 33.2% of educators were unsure about information accuracy, but 55% still shared it.Only 4-6% of participants had received prior training on identifying misinformation. ConclusionThe findings underscore the urgent need for structured capacity-building programs that enhance social media literacy, promote critical evaluation of online health content, and foster digital citizenship to mitigate misinformation and encourage responsible online behavior.