The growing use of digital platforms has offered new opportunities while also creating concerns, particularly

for school students. As a result, media literacy is a vital skill, particularly for school students who are still

with post program teacher interviews, student comments, and reflective journals written by the university

students who executed the campaign. The indicated improved awareness of misinformation, safer digital

habits, and greater understanding of ethical online interaction. Data was confirmed observable positive changes

in how students behaved online. In addition, the innovative and interactive activities improved learning

engagement and effectiveness. For the university students, the reflective journals indicated progress in

cooperation, event planning, communication, and social responsibility, illustrating the benefits of learning

from actual involvement in the community. Finally, including community-based initiatives within academic

programs may help students learn while also making important contributions to society. The "Click With Care"

campaign demonstrates how practical and contextually relevant educational practices may better prepare pupils

for today's digital issues.

Community Service Learning Programme of Universiti Malaysia (SULAM) was introduced as a

transformative pedagogy that combines classroom teaching with practical applications. Based on experiential

and community-based concepts, SULAM promotes academic enrichment and social responsibility by

encouraging higher education students to engage in contributing to the community (KPT, 2019). This new

educational paradigm, which goes beyond traditional teaching and focuses on transformative learning,

prioritizes a student-centred approach, critical reflection and active participation (Mezirow, 2000).

This study focuses on the “Click With Care” Public Relations campaign, developed by undergraduates in the

Bachelor of Public Relations and Contemporary Media (Honors) program. The campaign aimed to raise digital

safety awareness among secondary school students at SMK Kompleks while simultaneously enriching the

professional and civic competencies of university participants. By embedding the campaign within the

platforms has brought both opportunities and risks, making it important for policymakers and stakeholders to

understand its implications. While digital technology has increased student accessibility and engagement, it

has also introduced challenges related to online well-being, distractions, and safety. Therefore, media literacy

has emerged as a critical requirement to ensure that students benefit from digital platforms while minimizing

harmful negative impacts.

Digital platforms can enhance interactive learning and provide flexibility and innovation that optimize

knowledge acquisition and align with modern pedagogical approaches (Fathi et al., 2025). For example,

platforms such as SkooolNigeria.com have improved academic performance and student engagement in

resource-poor areas (Anyim & Uche, 2013). In addition, access to educational resources is one of the

advantages of digital platforms that allows the creation of repositories that can be used by teachers and

been linked to eye strain, musculoskeletal problems, and sleep disturbances (Berezina & Stepanova, 2020). In

addition, excessive screen time has resulted in a delay in engaging in physical activities that are important for

adolescent development (Berezina & Stepanova, 2020). In addition, uncontrolled use of social media and

online games has been linked to a student's academic performance (Mayen et al., 2025). More worryingly,

many adolescents are recorded to be addicted to the internet (Jiang et al., 2023). The development of the use of

digital platforms increases vulnerability to cybersecurity threats when exposed to cyber risks, including

phishing and malware, without sufficient awareness (Castillo & Anand, 2025). Privacy concerns, including

cyberbullying and data misuse, remain pressing issues, highlighting the importance of integrating

cybersecurity awareness into digital education (Castillo & Anand, 2025).

2020). Media literacy not only increases safety while using the internet but also empowers students to take

responsibility for their learning. It strengthens self-efficacy, which is a key factor in maintaining engagement

with educational platforms (Chen et al., 2022). In this sense, media literacy serves as a protective tool to ensure

Therefore, the integration of digital platforms in education brings both opportunities and risks. While

increasing engagement, accessibility, and skills development, it also poses challenges to student well-being,

academic performance, and online safety. Therefore, media literacy is essential in equipping students with the

skills to maximize digital benefits while minimizing harm. Future strategies should prioritize the integration of

media literacy into the curriculum to foster resilient, responsible, and competitive learners.

control (Santre, 2023). Although interventions such as school-based prevention programs and self-compassion

training have been introduced, their overall effectiveness remains limited (Aledeh et al., 2024; Kota & Selkie,

2018; Sharma et al., 2024).

Adolescents also face increasing online safety risks, including privacy violations, inappropriate content, and

online sexual exploitation (Roehrer et al., 2024; Wisniewski et al., 2013; Mwijage & Ghosh, 2024). The

growth of mobile devices and social media has amplified these risks, offering learning opportunities and

threats to well-being (Ghosh, 2016a; Zimmermann & Tomczyk, 2025). Traditional interventions, such as

parental control apps, remain underused, and their effectiveness is questionable in addressing the complex

realities of adolescent online safety (Ghosh, 2016b).

Sharing false information is another pressing challenge for adolescents who are active users of digital media.

ability to analyze and evaluate information, fostering critical thinking that helps combat misinformation

(Suárez-Perdomo et al., 2025; Šušterič et al., 2025; Hobbs & Rowe, 2008). Programs that emphasize active

information and reduce vulnerability to online harms (Abimbade, 2025; Yang et al., 2024). Moreover, media

literacy supports the development of essential digital skills for communication, collaboration, and responsible

online interaction in a highly digitized society (Zimmermann & Tomczyk, 2025; Yang et al., 2024). The

intersection of cyberbullying, online safety challenges, and misinformation highlights the complex risks

adolescents face in digital environments. While technological interventions exist, they are often insufficient in

addressing the full spectrum of issues. Embedding media literacy education into school curricula is therefore

student involvement in promoting digital literacy and responsible practices (Iskandar et al., 2025).

Embedding digital literacy, cybersecurity, and ethical practices into the educational curriculum is crucial to

preparing students for navigating the complexities of the digital environment (Munasinghe & Hewawasam,

2025). Long-term educational initiatives, such as the Digital Literacy Pedagogical Sessions (#DLPS), provide

students with sustainable tools and knowledge to manage their digital futures responsibly (Barbosa, 2024).

Such structured programs ensure continuity in developing skills beyond one off interventions.

the effectiveness of digital media initiatives (Suwana, 2021). Additionally, campaigns that encourage student-

led projects and ethical guidelines help build a school culture that prioritizes diversity, empathy, and

responsibility (Iskandar et al., 2025).

active participation in digital communities and encourage reflective engagement with digital content help

integrate the principles of digital citizenship into daily practice (Suwana, 2021).

Beyond technical proficiency, PR campaigns must emphasize values and ethics in media literacy education.

Ethical and empathetic approaches enable students to navigate the digital media landscape responsibly and

with greater sensitivity toward others (Tsang, 2025). Furthermore, integrating media literacy with ideological

and political education equips students with the critical capacity to analyze, challenge, and contribute

constructively within a democratic society (Yang & Li, 2024).

impact of their online behavior (Kibsey, 2022). Similarly, real-life scenarios and role-playing exercises

A participatory action research (PAR) approach guided the design and implementation of the “Click With

Care” campaign. This approach was selected because it encourages active collaboration between university

students, educators, and the school community, while also allowing continuous reflection and improvement

throughout the project cycle. The PAR framework supported planning, implementation, observation, and

Majority of students agreed improved ability to identify misinformation, enhanced understanding of safe

online practices, and increased awareness of respectful digital communication thru this program. Campaign’s

navigating online platforms after the program. These findings are consistent with prior research showing that

interactive media-based initiatives enhance student engagement and digital competence (Fathi et al., 2025;

Iskandar et al., 2025).

findings have been reported in digital literacy studies, where students demonstrate basic awareness but lack

digital safety, but certain concepts such as reporting misuse and digital footprints were less understood The

While for University Students, reflective journals revealed that undergraduate participants developed stronger

competencies in teamwork, communication strategy, and project management. Many reported a deeper

appreciation of their role as socially responsible communicators. The campaign provided authentic

contexts. Routledge.

7. Berezina, N. O., & Stepanova, M. I. (2020). The impact of digital education tools on the well-being of

secondary school students. Public Health and Life Environment.

Research in Computing: Converging Horizons (ICARC 2025). IEEE.

30. Mwijage, T., & Ghosh, A. (2024). The role of technology in enhancing adolescent online safety: Current

trends and future directions. Proceedings – IEEE SoutheastCon.