Are tech firms doing enough to support the development of their users’ media literacy skills?
The Communications and Digital Committee takes evidence from Google, TikTok and Roblox as it investigates the role of tech platforms in supporting users to improve their media literacy and stay safe online. This session forms part of the Committee’s ongoing media literacy inquiry.
Meeting details
Background
The Committee is exploring media literacy in the UK and how it can be improved. Only 45% of UK adults are confident they can judge whether sources of information are truthful and just 30% believe they can identify content that is created by AI. Meanwhile, young children are increasingly present online, with a third of those aged five to seven accessing social media unsupervised, while recent research has highlighted the threats of online conspiracy theories and misogyny in schools.
The inquiry is considering the key actions required to enhance media literacy skills across the UK population, to enable citizens to engage with the digital world safely and responsibly.
Possible areas for discussion
Possible areas for discussion with witnesses include:
- Whether their platforms are doing enough to support media literacy and protect their users, exploring the resources and support the platforms provide for both children and adults.
- How media literacy is embedded in their platform’s design, when and how they collaborate with organisations promoting media literacy and how they assess the effectiveness of their work in this area.