Media literacy

What good media literacy 'by design' looks like for social media, search, video-sharing and gaming services.

Ofcom has today set out how it plans to step up its media literacy work in the coming years, as part of new duties to protect and empower internet users under the Online Safety Act.

Ofcom’s mission is to make communications work for everyone. Since its inception in 2003, researching and promoting media literacy has been an integral part of this mission. In 2019, we reinvigorated our approach creating the Making Sense of Media programme, with an increased focus on online media. In December 2021, we published our Approach to Media Literacy.

How our Making Sense of Media programme will promote online media literacy.

Research gives Ofcom a robust and innovative evidence base to inform our work, and that of the broader media literacy sector.

Evaluation gives those that provide media literacy initiatives an understanding of whether their objectives have been met and helps to guide future improvements.

This group helps us to establish what works well for media literacy interventions on platforms, to identify good media literacy design principles, and to inform our thinking about our online safety duties.

The Making Sense of Media Advisory Panel informs Ofcom's work to help improve the online skills, knowledge and understanding of UK adults and children.

Join the network to hear more about media literacy activities and research in the UK, and internationally.

What our Making Sense of Media programme has delivered since December 2021, and our plan of work for 2023/24.