Reflecting on Information Literacy: Metaliteracy and Critical Practices for Post-Truth Challenges

This working paper examines how the idea of metaliteracy can be reimagined as a civic and ethical literacy for an age shaped by misinformation and emotional polarization. Moving beyond the traditional boundaries of information literacy, it explores how reflective, collaborative, and affective practices allow individuals and communities to engage critically with information while sustaining democratic dialogue. The work argues that teaching people to evaluate information is not enough; what is needed is the capacity to recognize one’s own biases, to build knowledge with others, and to act ethically in shared information spaces. Drawing on international scholarship but grounded in Latin American social and educational realities, the paper proposes a framework that connects metacognition, ethical responsibility, and civic participation as the foundation for resilient and inclusive information cultures.