News
Integrating Media and Information Literacy policies into governance of Digital Platforms
Two panel discussions and a workshop focused on sharing best practices and highlighting examples from Europe and Ibero-America.
The first panel showcased , a discussion paper published by UNESCO and the Iberoamerican Platform of Audiovisual Media Regulators (PRAI). The paper revealed a nearly 40% increase in Media and Information Literacy initiatives by Ibero-American regulators since 2021. Regulators and experts highlighted examples from Latin America in promoting Media and Information Literacy and emphasized the goal of involving people of all ages in future initiatives.
The next step for PRAI is to focus on engaging diverse groups, including digital content creators and influencers, and embedding Media and Information Literacy into life-long learning programmes.
The second panel discussed European experiences, starting with the European Union’s (EU) model for governance of digital platforms.
The EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) complements the existing directives concerning user empowerment through MIL, in particular through transparency obligations, which enable the public and civil society to hold platforms accountable. These obligations require platforms to label ads and to provide users with the information about why they were targeted with these ads.
A workshop attended by over 40 stakeholders, including representatives of international organizations, regulators, media self-regulatory bodies, digital platforms, academia and civil society, reviewed the draft Multistakeholder Action Plan to Integrate Media and Information Literacy Policies into the Governance of Digital Platforms. The participants developed recommendations for the improvement of the Action Plan, focusing on feasibility, gaps and effectiveness. The consolidated Action Plan will be shared in the coming months.
Working with youth, but also through life-long learning, is crucial for promoting Media and Information Literacy because all generations need to develop critical thinking skills.
The International Conference on Digital Platforms Governance: Building a Network of Networks celebrated the International Day for Countering Hate Speech on 18 June, with over 300 participants from over 90 countries, including audio-visual and electronic media, convergent and online regulators, digital platforms and civil society. It underlined the crucial role of these regulators in safeguarding human rights online.
