Media Literacy (Communications and Digital Committee Report)

Baroness Watkins of Tavistock Excerpts

Monday 16th March 2026 Grand Committee

[Lord in Waiting/Government Whip (Lord Leong) (Lab)]

My Lords, in view of the limited time that we have, I shall try to speak as quickly as I can to allow the committee’s chair to sum up. I am grateful to all noble Lords who have contributed such thoughtful and compelling insights this afternoon. I thank my noble friend Lady Keeley for securing this timely debate.

The quality of the discussion reflects something on which I believe the Grand Committee is united: media literacy is now a foundational skill. It underpins people’s ability to navigate the digital world with confidence, resilience and independence. Media literacy brings clear benefits to individuals and to society as a whole. It gives people the confidence to understand the information they encounter, recognise what is trustworthy and make choices that support their well-being. It helps parents guide their children with clarity and reassurance. It empowers young people to explore ideas safely and participate in learning and creativity. It supports adults of all ages to feel more capable and in control as they navigate an increasingly digital environment.

A media-literate society is also harder to mislead. It is better able to engage constructively in public debate and more confident in using new technologies. In short, it contributes to a more resilient, more connected society in which everybody can take part. Our ambition is therefore very clear. We want every person in the United Kingdom to benefit from strong media literacy skills and to feel informed, confident and able to participate fully in the digital world.

Achieving that ambition requires a whole-of-society effort. The Government have an important leadership role, but lasting progress depends on co-ordinated action across our public systems, including health and education, and on close co-operation with regulators, civic society, industry, communities, families and other related or interested stakeholders. When each part of society contributes, we create a digital environment that supports opportunity, strengthens trust and helps people thrive.

The Communications and Digital Committee’s report highlighted both the importance of media literacy and the need for stronger co-ordination in how it is delivered. Since the report was published, and since the Government set out their response, we have focused on strengthening delivery and learning across the system. This work is now being taken forward through the cross-government media literacy action plan, which brings departments, regulators and partners together behind shared priorities and sets the direction for the coming years.

Within this plan, we have established a clearer framework for delivery. It is grounded in evidence, aligned with Ofcom’s statutory responsibilities and focused on the areas where media literacy can make the greatest practical difference. This reflects a deliberate shift from strategy to action, ensuring that our commitments translate into support that reaches people and communities across the country.

Alongside this, the Online Safety Act provides an important foundation. It establishes the regulatory protections that people rightly expect when they go online, while also strengthening the wider environment in which media literacy can develop. The Act updated Ofcom’s media literacy duties. Ofcom already had a statutory responsibility to promote media literacy, but the Act introduces more targeted responsibilities. These include helping the public understand harmful online content and behaviour, including misinformation and disinformation, and addressing risks faced by groups who are more likely to experience harm, including women and girls.

The Act also requires Ofcom to publish a media literacy strategy. The first of these was issued in October 2024, as some noble Lords mentioned, and has already begun to shape practical delivery. Ofcom is now taking forward a range of initiatives under that strategy. These include training for teachers, targeted support for older adults, work focused on elections and AI-generated content and the development of a place-based approach that strengthens local delivery through trusted community organisations. We are also working closely with Ofcom to ensure that our approach complements the regulator’s role and supports co-ordination across the wider system. I am grateful for the thoughtful contributions we have heard today.

I will now turn to points raised by several noble Lords in response to the themes that have emerged across the debate. Due to the pressure of time, if I have not responded to all questions, I will get my officials to go through Hansard and ensure that every question is answered, with a copy placed in the Library.

My noble friend Lady Keeley spoke about the importance of leadership and co-ordination. I want to be clear that the Government have strengthened their approach in response to that challenge. Strong cross-government working underpins our approach. Media literacy has been embedded across key policy areas, rather than treated in isolation. The media literacy action plan brings departments, Ofcom and partners across society into a single, co-ordinated effort shaped by evidence and the practical experience of those delivering the work on the ground.

This is the first time that the Government have taken such a comprehensive approach to media literacy. The plan has been shaped through collaboration across government and is informed by lessons from civil society organisations and international partners. Our aim is simple: to meet people where they are, through the places and institutions they trust, and to build on what we know makes a real difference.

In practice, this means raising awareness of media literacy and improving access to reliable information, preparing children and young people for a digital future, strengthening support in communities for those most at risk and ensuring that government action complements Ofcom’s statutory responsibilities. Funding for the local media strategy will be announced very soon. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is currently considering whether the BBC’s contribution to media literacy should be more clearly reflected in the public purposes. Taken together, this creates a more joined-up and effective approach, and we will continue to support effective co-ordination and delivery across government.

By 2029, the action plan aims to make a tangible difference by improving critical engagement with online content and access to trusted information through education, libraries and local services. We will keep progress under review and publish updates on GOV.UK so that families, educators, communities and parliamentarians can see how delivery is progressing and how our approach evolves as new risks and opportunities emerge.

My noble friend Lady Keeley also asked how the Government will ensure that media literacy receives sufficient focus within wider digital inclusion work. Media literacy is a core part of our work on digital inclusion. It helps people build the skills and confidence to use online services safely and effectively. Consistent evaluation of the media literacy programme is crucial. The media literacy action plan includes action to encourage the use of the Ofcom evaluation toolkit to ensure consistent, high-quality education. The digital inclusion innovation fund was designed to build an evidence base for effective digital inclusion interventions. The project will conclude by March 2026. Lessons from the fund will inform future support to help more people get online with confidence.

Several noble Lords asked about social cohesion. The noble Lord, Lord Parkinson—

[The Deputy Chairman of Committees (Baroness Watkins of Tavistock) (CB)]

My Lords, there is a Division in the House, so the Committee will adjourn for 10 minutes. There was a medical emergency in the Chamber earlier, which is why everything is out of sync. We have a hard finish at 8 pm, so if noble Lords vote swiftly come back, we might start before the 10 minutes is up so that we can complete.