Media literacy enables people to have the skills, knowledge and understanding they need to make full use of the opportunities presented both by traditional and by new communications services. Media literacy also helps people to manage content and communications, and protect themselves and their families from the potential risks associated with using these services.
Our research includes findings relating to parents’ views about their children’s media use, and the ways that parents seek to – or decide not to – monitor or limit use of different types of media.
The Communications Act 2003 placed a responsibility on Ofcom to promote, and to carry out research in, media literacy. Our research into children’s media literacy contributes to Ofcom's fulfilment of this duty.
Ofcom’s 2016 children’s research brings together a suite of reports covering children’s media literacy, including:
The findings from all these reports have been drawn together in the executive summary of the Children’s and Parents’ Media Use and Attitudes report PDF, 243.8 KB , providing a rich picture of the media use, attitudes and understanding of children and young people aged 3-15, and how this has changed over time.
Children and parents: media use and attitudes report Oct 2010
UK children's media literacy Apr 2010
UK children's media literacy 2009 interim report Oct 2009
UK children's media literacy 2009 interim report: annex - top 50 websites Oct 2009
Digital Lifestyles: parents of children under 16 Jun 2009
UK code of practice for the self-regulation of new forms of content on mobiles Aug 2008
Media literacy audit - report on UK children's media literacy May 2008
Annex 3 media literacy audit - report on UK children, by platform May 2008
Media literacy audit: report on media literacy among children May 2006
