Media Literacy Now leverages the passion and resources of the US media literacy community to drive policy change at local, state, and national levels. We envision a world where all K-12 students are taught media literacy so they can become confident consumers and creators. Our children live in a world of powerful 24/7 media. There has been a drastic increase in the amount of time children and youth are spending with media over the last decade. Children ages 8 to 18 now spend an average of 7 hours and 38 minutes per day with entertainment media outside of school, according to recent research. Used well, the media can entertain and inform our children in positive ways. However, since most children aren’t taught to use media thoughtfully, many media messages contribute to public health issues such as obesity, bullying and aggression, low self-esteem, depression, negative body image, risky sexual behavior, and substance abuse, among other problems. Media literacy education – which teaches students to apply critical thinking to media messages and to use media to create their own messages – is a key 21st century skill. Media literacy is critical to the health and well-being of America’s children, as well as to their future participation in the civic and economic life of our democracy.