Presentation by Sheila Webber (University of Sheffield) & Bill Johnston (Strathclyde University) ECIL, September 2021 References are at http://tinyurl.com/bu422pjw

1. Older People in the “Post-
Truth” Era: Countering
Ageism by Developing Age
Friendly Media and
Information Literate Cities
(#AFMIL)
Sheila Webber (University of Sheffield) &
Bill Johnston (Strathclyde University)
ECIL, September 2021

2. Outline
1. Developing of a model for an Age-Friendly Media and Information
Literate (#AFMIL) city (see Webber& Johnston, 2019)
2. The #AFMIL city model
3. Applying the #AFMIL city model
Sheila Webber & Bill Johnston, 2021

3. 1. Developing a model for an Age-
Friendly Media and Information
Literate (#AFMIL) city
Centre for Ageing Better, 2021
Sheila Webber & Bill Johnston, 2021

4. Inspirations for the model
I. Engagement with the rights of older people
II. UNESCO’s (2019) Global Framework for Media and Information
Literate cities
III. International frameworks for older people and cities
We are seniors
with individual
characteristics,
emotions,
needs, behaviours
Photo:
Minxiao
Cao
Sheila Webber & Bill Johnston, 2021

5. i. Engagement with the rights of older people
Bill – Chair of Scottish
Seniors Alliance;
Publications including
forthcoming book
Sheila – ageism and
libraries/librarians
“Ageism is the stereotyping of, prejudice or
discrimination against individuals or groups based on
their age. Although ageism can target young people,
most studies in this area focus on the unfair treatment
of older people.
Ageism is deeply structural, “find[ing] expression in
institutional systems, individual attitudes and inter-
generational relationships.” All manifestations of ageism
– at the individual, group or societal level – gravely
undermine older people’s right to human dignity and
reduce their potential to contribute actively to society.”
European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. (2018, p. 11) Sheila Webber & Bill Johnston, 2021

6. ii. UNESCO MIL Cities
“One of the main objectives of MIL Cities is the
empowerment of citizens … MIL cities
embraces the Five Laws of Media and
Information Literacy as a basis for innovating
MIL actions” UNESCO (2019)
One criterium is “Infuse MIL training for the
older population in existing city programmes
designed for their well-being so they are not left
behind or marginalized” UNESCO (2019)
See also: UNESCO MIL Cities Network &
Yanaze & Chibas (2020)
Sheila Webber & Bill Johnston, 2021

7. iii. Key international frameworks
• Age-friendly environments: WHO (2017) – including
“Communication & Information” as a policy domain
• Inclusive and humane cities: UCLG Committee on Social Inclusion,
Participatory Democracy and Human Rights (2016) (Human rights in
the city); Smart Cities for All (focus on inclusion,
including of older people)
• MIL: UNESCO’s declarations & proclamations
on IL and MIL
“Age-friendly cities and communities
foster healthy and active ageing and thus
enable well-being throughout life. They
help people to remain independent for as
long as possible, and provide care and
protection when they are needed,
respecting older people’s autonomy and
dignity.”
World Health Organization (2017 p.3)

8. Forming the model
• Engaged with the UNESCO MIL Cities and international frameworks to
identify relevant themes, recommendations and action lines
• Drew on our own expertise and experience with MIL and older people
• Identified three perspectives on MIL and older people
• Synthesised the insights into a model for an #AFMIL City, incorporating
these perspectives

9. 3 perspectives on MIL & older people
• Older people as portrayed by media and experts:
avoiding stereotyping & disinformation
• Older people as consumers of information and
media: taking account of their preferences, practices
and life experiences
• Older people as MIL creators, innovators and critics:
older people can create new media practices too!
Sheila Webber & Bill Johnston, 2021
Centre for Ageing Better, 2020

10. 2. The #AFMIL
city model
Sheila Webber & Bill Johnston, 2021

11. Enfolding Values
Support & empowerment for
older people
Media and Information
Literacy values & goals
Values, policies and
vision of city councils
working with older
people and other
stakeholders to co-
create the #AFMIL city
Enfolding Values
for the #AFMIL City.
Sources: UNESCO.
(2016); UCLG
Committee on Social
Inclusion,
Participatory
Democracy and
Human Rights.
(2016)
Values and strategies
supporting & empowering
older people & combatting
ageism. Sources:WHO
(2017); Smart Cities
for All; Second
World Assembly
on Ageing
(2002)
MIL Values &
goals. Sources:
MIL
Proclamations;
UNESCO (2016b;
2018) Enfolding
Framework
for an
#AFMIL City
e.g.
Human
Rights;
Creativity;
Cultural
sensitivity
Sheila Webber & Bill Johnston, 2021

12. Older people in an
#AFMIL city: co-
creating initiatives,
guidelines, policy and
actions
Older people in
an #AFMIL City
Portrayed in the
media etc.
Creators,
innovators,
critics
Consumers
Enfolding framework of values and strategies
supporting MIL and the empowerment of older people
City Council’s
planning mechanisms
& structures.
Stakeholders’
policy and
actions
Older people’s
assemblies and
think tanks
For example:
libraries;
charities;
educational
institutions
City infrastructure.
Media and
communication policy
and agencies
Sheila Webber & Bill Johnston, 2021

13. An #AFMIL city integrates by
• Practicing MIL: is media and information literate in policy and
practice – including in producing, organising, disseminating etc.
information for all citizens
• Developing MIL citizens: supports the media and information
literacy development of citizens of all ages
• Using all forms and formats of media and information to
increase democratic participation and informed critique
Sheila Webber & Bill Johnston, 2021

14. 3. Applying the #AFMIL city model

15. #AFMIL cities in the “post-truth” era
• Post-truth – shorthand for issues of populism, misinformation etc.
• Populism and ageism can interact to suppress older people’s interests
– Socially divisive tactics used to advance populist politics
– Rely on stereotyping, hostility to, and discrimination against older people e.g. setting
younger & older people against each other
• The pandemic surfacing ageism
– e.g. care home deaths in the UK; the attitude “they’ve had their time”; older people as
vaccine resisters & spreading misinformation
• We advocate instead fighting the stereotypes to enable older people to
contribute to a MIL society
Sheila Webber & Bill Johnston, 2021

16. UNESCO make a strong case for MIL cities
however
• Ageism undermines the case and;
• Populist politics reinforce the damage
Our view is that cities can counter this effect &
our #AFMIL model offers an effective tool

17. Actions towards developing #AFMIL cities
• Align #AFMIL city model to city/regional/national plans
• Investigate extent to which there are existing initiatives that fit into the model – funding,
extent, who involved etc.
• Include older people – assemblies, think tanks – also in creative processes
• Engage with organisations working on age-related developments (e.g. Centre for Ageing
Better in UK)
• Survey relevant actors & stakeholders to guage acceptance & build commitment
• Identify exemplar cities which have taken action on aspects of the model
• Create a “handbook” for action on #AFMIL cities
UNESCO, WHO etc. could improve coordination in developing agenda!
Sheila Webber & Bill Johnston, 2021

18. “Every citizen is a
creator of
information/knowledge
and has a message”
(UNESCO, 2016).
A rights-based, not
a deficit-based,
perspective on
older people
Sheila Webber & Bill Johnston, 2021

19. Sheila Webber
Information School
University of Sheffield
s.webber@shef.ac.uk
Twitter: @sheilayoshikawa
http://information-literacy.blogspot.com/
http://www.slideshare.net/sheilawebber/
References at
http://tinyurl.com/bu422pjw
Photos and graphics: Sheila Webber
except where otherwise indicated
Bill Johnston
Honorary Research Fellow
University of Strathclyde
b.johnston@strath.ac.uk