Written evidence submitted by Shout Out UK (SMH0072)

Subject: The Role of Media Literacy in Combating Online Harms

Dear Chair Onwurah and Members of the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee,

As the founder and CEO of Shout Out UK, the secretariat of the APPG for Political and Media Literacy, I write to you following the committee’s recent questioning of social media executives from Google, Meta, X and Tiktok regarding misinformation and harmful algorithms.

I commend the Committee’s efforts to hold tech companies accountable for their role in shaping the digital landscape and the experiences of millions of UK citizens. It is imperative that we continue to push for greater transparency and responsibility from these global platforms. However, given the profound influence that online misinformation has on public discourse, democracy, and individual safety, we must also take a proactive educational approach in mitigating these harms.

At Shout Out UK, we firmly believe that a multi-stakeholder approach is the only sustainable solution to tackling online harms effectively. In particular, the intersection of robust regulation, responsible corporate governance, and widespread media literacy education is key to ensuring that citizens—especially young people—are equipped to critically assess the information they consume online. Without such an approach, the cycle of misinformation will persist, leaving the public vulnerable to manipulation and disinformation campaigns.

As an organization dedicated to promoting media and political literacy, we see firsthand the transformative impact of education in fostering critical thinking and resilience against online falsehoods. However, the scale of the problem far exceeds the current resources allocated to tackling it. We strongly urge the Committee to consider the following recommendations:

●        A Commitment from Tech Companies to Fund Media Literacy Initiatives – Tech giants such as Google, Meta, and TikTok profit immensely from the digital ecosystem they have created. As part of their corporate responsibility, these companies should be required to contribute funding to media literacy programs that empower users to navigate the online world safely and critically. We have already seen how powerful such cross-sector collaborations can be. Our DISMISS digital campaign, in partnership with OFCOM, was aimed at inoculating young voters against misinformation ahead of last year’s UK general election. X supported the campaign across its platform. More of this kind of collaboration is urgently needed.

●        Stronger Collaboration Between Tech Firms and Public Bodies, including Ofcom – The role of regulatory bodies must be reinforced through better cooperation with technology firms to ensure that content moderation policies are effective and transparent. This should include independent oversight of AI-driven content recommendations and advertising systems to prevent the monetisation of harmful misinformation.

●        Increased Investment in Research and Public Awareness Campaigns – There is an urgent need for more research into the effectiveness of different interventions to combat online harms. Public campaigns should also be funded to raise awareness of misinformation tactics and provide practical tools to counter them.

●        We appreciate the Committee’s dedication to this critical issue and urge you to continue pressing for meaningful commitments from the tech sector. A society that is equipped with the skills to question, verify, and analyze online content is one that is far less susceptible to the dangers of misinformation.

I would welcome the opportunity to discuss these proposals further and explore how we can work together, amplifying the work of the APPG on Political and Media Literacy, to build a safer, more informed digital landscape for all. If you would like further information on our work, or to be connected to the APPG, please do get in touch. Thank you!

Yours sincerely

Matteo Bergamini MBE

CEO, Shout Out UK

28 February 2025