The UK’s first multi-year strategy in two decades aims to tackle the rising problems of mis/disinformation and harms online, while boosting digital skills
Ofcom’s three-year plan to promote media literacy feeds into its overall mission for communications markets
On 7 October 2024, Ofcom published its three-year media literacy strategy for the UK, the first multi-year media literacy strategy in 20 years. Ofcom defines media literacy as “the ability to use, understand and create media and communications across multiple formats and services”, considering it fundamental to the regulator’s overall mission to make communications work for everyone. While Ofcom recognises the role it must play in promoting media literacy, it also calls on online platforms, parents, educators, third sector organisations, broadcasters and others to contribute and collaborate in order to support its efforts in this space. Ofcom’s strategy – a requirement following the adoption of the Online Safety Act 2023 – focuses on three key areas:
Tackling mis/disinformation;
Mitigating online harms against women and girls; and
Developing skills to help people safely flourish online.
In each of these areas, Ofcom plans to conduct research and encourage evaluation across the sector, and to work with platforms to ensure they are promoting media literacy best practice on- and off-platform. They also plan to engage with a range of trusted stakeholders to promote media literacy as everyone’s responsibility, hoping this will allow people to live a safer life online while developing media that they trust and value.
Four online services have committed voluntarily to adopt Ofcom’s media literacy best practices
In parallel, it was also announced that Google Search, The LEGO Group, Pinterest and Roblox have voluntarily signed up to adopt Ofcom’s Best Practice Principles for Media Literacy by Design, which have been developed in collaboration with industry experts, civil society and the academic community. In doing so, the firms agree to the following three common principles:
Become accountable for making media literacy a priority on-platform, and increase transparency surrounding what works;
Develop user-centric design to put user needs at the centre of the design process; and
Monitor and evaluate media literacy activities on an ongoing basis.
The four companies have now committed themselves to a closer alignment with what Ofcom considers to be best practice in media literacy. As a part of their pledge, the services have submitted evidence to Ofcom detailing how they are currently implementing media literacy by design into their services, and also discussed with Ofcom the areas that they would like to work on more to continue to improve media literacy in the future. Ofcom hopes that these examples can provide a benchmark for future reference when reviewing media literacy strategies and implementation.
The strategy is expected to deliver better media literacy understanding through effective interventions and improved support and funding from platforms
Ofcom has set out the outcomes it expects by 2027 as a result of this new three-year strategy:
The establishment of a better understanding and measurement of media literacy, as well as a better idea of how to deliver interventions on the matter, potentially aiding digital inclusion;
Platforms and broadcasters will provide better support for their users and longer term funding for media literacy initiatives; and
More people will have access to the skills and support they require to navigate content safely and flourish online.
This new strategy also sets out what Ofcom considers to be indicators of success. These range from Ofcom’s best media literacy practices being implemented to its media literacy research being cited and used by the media literacy community. Ofcom also hopes that via its strategy, public service broadcasters will be better equipped to deliver effective media literacy interventions and support.
