Governor Kathy Hochul has announced the release of New York’s first ‘Media Literacy’ toolkit for educators. Following a surge in online hate speech in November 2023 and after it was revealed that the perpetrator of the Tops mass shooting in Buffalo was radicalized online, Governor Hochul directed the State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services to develop and distribute an ideologically neutral product which gives teachers resources to develop students’ ability to analyze, evaluate and assess all forms of media, including information delivered through social media.

“Whether it’s cell phones and social media or the scourge of misinformation teens encounter each day, I’m taking action to protect young people online and give them the tools to succeed,  the governor said. “

The toolkit is the first in a series of resources on media literacy the Division intends to produce and serves as a primer for educators throughout New York looking to introduce their students to these concepts.

Through a partnership with the New York State Education Department, the toolkit is being distributed to all schools and districts and will be posted online on the Department’s website. The State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and the New York State Education Department will work closely with BOCES across New York to provide professional learning opportunities for educators on how to use these resources to support student media and digital literacy.