Media Literacy (Communications and Digital Committee Report)

Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone Excerpts

Monday 16th March 2026 Grand Committee

[Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone (Con)]

My Lords, I will try to be mild, obedient, good and kind. Let me say how delighted I am to speak in this debate. I applaud the Communications and Digital Committee’s report on media literacy, and the splendid way in which the noble Baroness introduced today’s discussion. She had so many questions for the Minister that he will be pleased that I have decided to withdraw all my questions because they were all covered by her speech, which was so rigorous and thoughtful. This is a serious topic which discusses the depth and breadth of how we sustain a democracy today. The report has been written with diligence, professionalism and foresight. Committee members from all parts of the House have prepared a document which well merits scrutiny and, I hope, action.

The report makes clear that a failure to prioritise media literacy presents a threat not merely to individuals but to the functioning of democracy. New technologies and social media algorithms have dramatically transformed the wider information environment, and many citizens are poorly equipped to navigate it. As the report says, less than one-third of adults are confident that they can identify AI-generated content—an alarming statistic when you consider the pace at which generative AI tools are advancing. This is not a marginal concern; it affects trust, safety and political discussion.

I am sure that members of the committee will have seen the speech by the outgoing DG of the BBC to the Royal Television Society on the participative society. He says that the media sector is witnessing,

“an all-out assault on trustworthy information … journalism is now completely or partially blocked in over 75% of the world … Press freedom is at its lowest point in history”.

He goes on to say that “The Economist research”—I declare an interest as a trustee of the Economist—

“from 180 countries over 80 years showed the … connection between low press freedom and democratic decay”

is very serious.

“Information … warfare is a growing security threat. Russia, China, and Iran are investing billions in propaganda”,

while the World Service budget is £350 million. Maybe the Government should take that responsibility.

Misinformation and disinformation are rampant”,

according to the European Broadcasting Union. That is very serious situation indeed. However, BBC has prepared a constructive response. It wants to provide media literacy. It wants to,

“build local services, deploying cutting edge technologies to increase verification, as well as strengthening local journalism”,

and expanding the World Service.

Much has been said about the importance of young people and education. I want to refer to the English-Speaking Union, which started in 1918 and has become a magnificent organisation dedicated to teaching young people about scrutiny, fact-checking, analysing media, data, sources, propaganda and stereotypes. It is now the largest debating organisation in this country, and I feel that if a partner is needed, not simply from government, people could go very far to find better than what the English-Speaking Union provides.

I always like practical examples of what I am talking about. I do not like just to moan about the Government. I will give a great plug for one of my favourite magazines, The Week. It is the ultimate media literacy training magazine. It is a summary of news stories and opinion columns published by other papers, so it is not an echo chamber. Some are based on articles from overseas, often first published in a foreign language. Last week, its piece on Tehran quoted the Daily Mail, UnHerd and the FT; the piece on Dubai quoted the Sun, the Guardian and the Economist. The review of Rose Wylie’s exhibition at the RA quoted the FT, the Times and the Telegraph—they may be more similar in their categories.

There is a great deal to be done, and the matter is urgent. Let me say again how much I applaud the work of the committee. I look forward to the action that the Government will take to follow up its many recommendations as well as the excellent questions asked by the noble Baroness.