Empowering digital citizenship through research, design, and dialogue
Building bridges between people and platforms
Our Mission
Empowering digital citizenship through research, collaboration, and innovation
At the Digital Literacy Hub, we explore how people navigate, resist, and reshape the digital world. Our mission is to empower individuals and communities through research-driven insights and tailored interventions that foster critical, confident, and responsible digital engagement. We believe that digital literacy is not a static skillset, but a dynamic and evolving capacity—one that must be cultivated in dialogue with rapidly shifting technologies, platforms, and societal norms.
Rooted in academic excellence and interdisciplinary collaboration, the Hub brings together researchers, educators, designers, and policymakers to co-create solutions that matter. From AI-driven personalization and social media behavior to platform governance and data ethics, our work addresses the pressing challenges of digital life. We aim to bridge theory and practice—translating complex insights into practical tools and strategies that support digital citizenship, safeguard privacy, and promote media wellbeing for all.
Research-Driven
Grounding our work in rigorous academic research and evidence-based insights
Collaborative
Bringing together diverse perspectives from academia, industry, and civil society
Ethical
Promoting responsible digital practices and safeguarding individual rights and wellbeing
Inclusive
Ensuring digital literacy solutions work for diverse communities and contexts
Innovative
Developing cutting-edge approaches to address emerging digital challenges
Impact-Focused
Translating research into practical tools and strategies that make a real difference
Our Team
Meet the researchers shaping the future of digital literacy
Philipp K. Masur
Co-Director
Douglas Parry
Co-Director
Jolanda Veldhuis
Co-Director
Our Partners
Partner Institutions
Our Publications
Research outputs contributing to the field of digital literacy
Examining learners’ engagement patterns and knowledge outcome in an experiential learning intervention for youth’s social media literacy
Zou, W., Purington Drake, A., Masur, P. K., Whitlock, J., Bazarova, N. N. (2024)
Computers & Education
Social Media and Youth Mental Health: Simple Narratives Produce Biased Interpretations
Sewall, C., Parry, D. A. (2024)
Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science
Mapping a Pluralistic Continuum of Approaches to Digital Disconnection
Ross, M., Gilbert, A., Klingelhoefer, J., Matassi, M., Nassen, L., Van Bruyssel, S., Verlinden, A., Parry, D. A. (2024)
Media, Culture & Society
Does the Mere Presence of a Smartphone Impact Cognitive Performance? A Meta-Analysis of the 'Brain Drain Effect'
Parry, D. A. (2024)
Media Psychology
The active-passive dichotomy refined: How types of photo sharing and photo viewing coincide with adolescents’ mental health and body image
Bij de Vaate, N. A. J. D., Veldhuis, J., Konijn, E. A. (2024)
Telematics and Informatics
The Youth Social Media Literacy Inventory: Development and Validation Using Item Response Theory
Purington Drake, A., Masur, P. K., Bazarova, N. N., Zou, E. W., Whitlock, J. (2023)
Journal of Children and Media
Challenges in Studying Social Media Privacy Literacy
Masur, P. K., Hagendorff, T., Trepte, S. (2023)
In S. Trepte & P. K. Masur (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Privacy and Social Media
Using Browser Data to Understand Desires to Spend Time Online
McCrosky, J., Parry, D. A., Sewall, C. J. R., Orben, A. (2023)
Technology, Mind, and Behavior
Digital Wellbeing Applications: Adoption, Use and Perceived Effects
Parry, D. A., le Roux, D. B., Morton, J., Pons, R., Pretorius, R., Schoeman, A. (2023)
Computers in Human Behavior
Motives for using social networking sites: a uses & gratifications perspective amongst people with eating disorder symptoms
Dingemans, A. E., Veldhuis, J., Lähde, I. (2023)
Journal of Eating Disorders
The impact of seeing and posting photos on mental health and body satisfaction: A panel study among Dutch and Japanese adolescents
Bij de Vaate, N. A. J. D., Veldhuis, J., Konijn, E. A. (2023)
Computers in Human Behavior
Development and validation of an algorithm literacy scale for Internet users
Dogruel, L., Masur, P. K., Jöckel, S. (2022)
Communication Methods & Measures
Investigating Predictors of Online Vigilance among University Students
le Roux, D. B., Parry, D. A. (2022)
Information Technology & People
Follow, filter, filler? Social media usage and cosmetic procedure intention, acceptance, and normalization among young adults
Hermans, A. M., Boerman, S. C., Veldhuis, J. (2022)
Body Image
Behavioral Contagion on Social Media: Effects of Social Norms, Design Interventions, and Critical Media Literacy on Self-Disclosure
Masur, P. K., DiFranzo, D. J., Bazarova, N. N. (2021)
PLOS One
Learning by doing oder doing by learning? Die Wechselwirkung zwischen Online-Privatheitskompetenz und Datenschutzverhalten
Schäwel, J., Frener, R., Masur, P. K., Trepte, S. (2021)
Medien & Kommunikationswissenschaft
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Discrepancies Between Logged and Self-Reported Digital Media Use
Parry, D. A., Davidson, B. I., Sewall, C. J., Fisher, J. T., Mieczkowski, H., Quintana, D. S. (2021)
Nature Human Behaviour
The Role of Depression in the Discrepancy Between Estimated and Actual Smartphone Use: A Cubic Response Surface Analysis
Sewall, C., Parry, D. A. (2021)
Technology, Mind, and Behavior
An Exploratory Investigation of the Use and Effects of Academic Instant Messaging Groups among University Students
le Roux, D. B., Parry, D. A. (2021)
Education and Information Technologies
“Cognitive Control in Media Multitaskers” Ten Years On: A Meta-Analysis
Parry, D. A., le Roux, D. B. (2021)
Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace
Plurality in the measurement of social media use and mental health: An exploratory study among adolescents and young adults
Petropoulos Petalas, D., Konijn, E. A., Johnson, B. K., Veldhuis, J., Bij de Vaate, N. A. J. D., Burgers, C., Droog, E., Międzobrodzka, E., Balint, K. E., van de Schoot, R. (2021)
Social Media + Society
How online privacy literacy supports self-data protection and self-determination in the age of information
Masur, P. K. (2020)
Media and Communication
How online self-presentation affects well-being and body image: A systematic review
Bij de Vaate, N. A. J. D., Veldhuis, J., Konijn, E. (2020)
Telematics and Informatics
Me, my selfie, and I: the relations between selfie behaviors, body image, self-objectification, and self-esteem in young women
Veldhuis, J., Alleva, J. M., Bij de Vaate, N. A. J. D., Keijer, M. G., Konijn, E. A. (2020)
Psychology of Popular Media
Face yourself(ie): Investigating selfie-behavior in females with severe eating disorder symptoms
Yellowlees, R., Dingemans, A. E., Veldhuis, J., Bij de Vaate, N. A. J. D. (2019)
Computers in Human Behavior
Is that my friend or an advert? The Effectiveness of Instagram Native Advertisements Posing as Social Posts
Johnson, B., Potocki, B., Veldhuis, J. (2019)
Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication
Mehr als Bewusstsein für Privatheitsrisiken: Eine Rekonzeptualisierung der Online‑Privatheitskompetenz als Kombination aus Wissen, Fähig‑ und Fertigkeiten
Masur, P. K. (2018)
Medien & Kommunikationswissenschaft
The effect of Instagram 'likes' on women's social comparison and body dissatisfaction
Tiggemann, M., Hayden, S., Brown, Z., Veldhuis, J. (2018)
Body Image
Show your best self(ie): An exploratory study on selfie-related motivations and behavior in emerging adulthood
Bij de Vaate, N. A. J. D., Veldhuis, J., Alleva, J. M., Konijn, E. A., van Hugten, C. H. M. (2018)
Telematics and Informatics
Online-Privatheitskompetenz und deren Bedeutung für demokratische Gesellschaften
Masur, P. K., Teutsch, D., Dienlin, T., Trepte, S. (2017)
Forschungsjournal Soziale Bewegungen
Entwicklung und Validierung der Online-Privatheitskompetenzskala (OPLIS)
Masur, P. K., Teutsch, D., Trepte, S. (2017)
Diagnostica
Do people know about privacy and data protection strategies? Towards the “Online Privacy Literacy Scale” (OPLIS)
Trepte, S., Teutsch, D., Masur, P. K., Eicher, C., Fischer, M., Hennhöfer, A., Lind, F. (2015)
In S. Gutwirth, R. Leenes & P. de Hert (Eds.), Reforming European Data Protection Law
Get in Touch
Ready to collaborate or learn more about our research? We'd love to hear from you.
Send us a message
Contact Information
p.k.masur@vu.nl
Address
VU Amsterdam
De Boelelaan 1105
1081 HV Amsterdam