The Government is working to make the internet safer. Doing this effectively requires a broad toolkit – using the Online Safety Act to ensure platforms take steps to limit harmful content online, but also ensuring both children and adults have the knowledge and skills to navigate the online world. This includes navigating the risks presented by emerging technology such as AI. internet users, including children. It includes understanding that online actions have offline consequences, being able to contribute to a respectful online environment, and being able to engage critically with online information. It is a key tool for building people’s resilience to misinformation, disinformation and AI-generated deepfakes. The Online Safety Act updated Ofcom’s statutory duty to promote media literacy. Under the Act, Ofcom is required to bring about better understanding of ways in which members of the public can keep themselves and others safe, including by encouraging the development and use of technologies that help users protect themselves from harmful content, including AI-generated mis- and disinformation. Ofcom is also required to raise awareness of the nature and impact of mis- and disinformation, to ensure the public can ‘establish the reliability, accuracy and authenticity’ of content found on regulated services. These duties are already in force. Between 2022 and 2024, DSIT has provided almost £3million in grant funding for a range of projects, including educational interventions designed to empower users with the skills and knowledge they need to make safe and informed choices online. In 2024, this covered almost £0.5 million in funding to scale up two media literacy programmes which, between them, provide media literacy training and support to teachers, children aged 11-16, other professionals working with families and parents/carers. The Government has also established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review that will consider the key digital skills needed for future life and the critical thinking skills needed to ensure children are resilient to misinformation and extremist content online. Government response to Committee conclusions and recommendations 40 and 41