Tell me who your friend is and I’ll tell you who you are – a popular saying that everyone knows. There are many interpretations of it, but the conclusion remains the same – our choice of people, products, activities tells a lot about us, sometimes even more than we ourselves notice or desire. You will never like a cafe where you don’t like the music playing, and the annoying voice of the radio presenter in the store will prevent you from choosing the right product.

One of the important rules of modern media literacy is not to underestimate the impact of music, movies or videos that unwittingly come across your eyes in the virtual or real world. It would seem that when it comes to song, you can let your guard down and just enjoy the melody. But in times of full-scale war with Russia, when the information front plays one of the key roles, it is necessary to carefully analyze the content, source and legality of the selected composition. You should be even more responsible for the audio and video products that you offer to visitors in your establishments or taxi service, because, albeit indirectly, they still demonstrate your worldview as well. It is not necessary to list thousands of cases when listening to a song together led to dangerous conflict situations. In times of war, it is especially important to remember this and not to neglect the recommendations of the state regarding information hygiene.

Another important aspect is respect for copyright. Unlike Russia, where intellectual piracy is the basis of all media, Ukraine is moving towards the standards of the European Union, thereby protecting the author’s rights to the products of his creative activity and profit from their use. Fortunately, the modern world offers many affordable services that provide access to an unlimited number of high-quality audio and video products for little money. So, in order to properly consume and “treat” visitors with a media product, it is enough to simply remember two rules: analyze the meaning of the audio and video works you have chosen, and ensure that copyright is respected in the process of their use.

This publication was prepared within the framework of the project “Citizenship for Democratization” with the assistance of the European Union, which is carried out by the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consultation. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the NGO “Volyn Foundation” and in no way reflects the point of view of the European Union and the Institute of Economic Research and Political Consultation.

Anna Danylchuk, NGO “Volyn Foundation”