Media literacy

Initiatives towards improved media literacy

Media Literacy is a crucial skill for citizens of all ages, enhancing their critical thinking and ability to better navigate in the digital media environment and identify disinformation. The Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) requires Member States to promote and take measures to develop media literacy skills and to report on their efforts every three years. 

In line with the revised AVMSD, the Commission has issued guidelines for Member States when reporting on the measures for promoting and developing media literacy skills. The guidelines also aim to help Member States share best practices on media literacy. The first set of national reports are available for the period 2020-2022.

The revised AVMSD also requires video-sharing platforms to provide effective media literacy measures and tools. This is a key requirement due to the role of video-sharing platforms play in giving access to audiovisual content. Platforms are also required to raise users’ awareness of these measures and tools.

The critical nature of media literacy and the need to strengthen it is also recognised in the European Democracy Action Plan (EDAP) and in the Media and Audiovisual Action Plan (MAAP). Enhancing digital skills and competences for the digital transformation, including through digital and media literacy, is also one of the strategic priorities of the Digital Education Action Plan.

Under the 2022 Code of Practice on Disinformation, major online platforms and other signatories have committed to strengthen media literacy and critical thinking. More specifically, the signatories have committed to designing media literacy tools that aim to empower users by providing context for the content visible on their services. Additionally, they have pledged to develop, promote, and support activities that improve media literacy and critical thinking among the general public in the EU. The signatories regularly report on their actions to fulfil this commitment. These reports, which detail their implementation efforts, are available in the Transparency centre of the Code. The Code aims to become a Code of Conduct under the Digital Services Act, forming part of its co-regulatory regime. 

Media Literacy Expert Group

The European Commission brings together the representatives of EU Member States in a Media literacy expert group. The group meets twice every year to:

• identify, document and extend good practices in the field of media literacy
• explore ways of coordinating EU policies, support programmes and media literacy initiatives
• build synergies between the media literacy activities of Member States

European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO)

The European Commission supports the work of the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO), which brings together fact-checkers, media literacy experts and academic researchers to join forces in the fight against disinformation. 

EDMO contributes to identifying best practices in the field of media literacy, promoting knowledge exchange among practitioners, policy makers and other experts across Europe, and delivering media literacy campaigns to increase citizens’ awareness and societal resilience. For example, EDMO conducted the online Be Election Smart campaign in all EU languages to increase awareness of disinformation risks during the 2024 European Elections.

EDMO also relies on an EU-wide network of national and regional hubs, which develop and support targeted media literacy campaigns to raise awareness and build societal resilience on the ground. 

ERGA Action Group on Media Literacy

The European Regulators Group for Audiovisual Media Services (ERGA) has established a dedicated Action Group on Media Literacy. The aim of the Action Group is to exchange best practices related to the tools and measures deployed by national media regulatory authorities to promote or develop media literacy. It places a particular emphasis on the implementation of the revised AVMSD. To this end, the Action Group has developed a Media Literacy Toolbox focusing on video-sharing platforms.

EU funding of Media Literacy projects

The Commission supports media literacy through multiple funding initiatives. Examples of these are the cross-border media literacy projects under Creative Europe and the media literacy projects through Erasmus+. Find more information on funding opportunities for media literacy.