Changes from plenary report to adopted text

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2024/1083 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 establishing a common framework for media services in the internal market and amending Directive 2010/13/EU (European Media Freedom Act),

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on a Single Market For Digital Services and amending Directive 2000/31/EC (Digital Services Act),

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence and amending Regulations (EC) No 300/2008, (EU) No 167/2013, (EU) No 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, (EU) 2018/1139 and (EU) 2019/2144 and Directives 2014/90/EU, (EU) 2016/797 and (EU) 2020/1828 (Artificial Intelligence Act),

– having regard to its resolution of 25 March 2021 on shaping digital education policy,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 11 May 2022 entitled ‘A Digital Decade for children and youth: the new European strategy for a better internet for kids (BIK+)’ (COM(2022)0212),

– having regard to the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign affairs and Security Policy of 12 November 2025 entitled ‘European Democracy Shield: Empowering Strong and Resilient Democracies’ (JOIN(2025)0791),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 5 March 2025 on the Action Plan on Basic Skills (COM(2025)0088),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 3 December 2020 entitled ‘Europe’s Media in the Digital Decade: An Action Plan to Support Recovery and Transformation’ (COM(2020)0784),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 10 February 2026 entitled ‘Action plan against cyberbullying – “Safer online, stronger together”’ (COM(2026)0071),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 5 March 2026 entitled ‘Strategy on Intergenerational Fairness’ (COM(2026)0110),

– having regard to its resolution of 26 November 2025 on the protection of minors online,

– having regard to the UN Pact for the Future of 22 September 2024,

– having regard to the Resolution of the Council of the European Union and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting within the Council on a framework for European cooperation in the youth field entitled ‘The European Union Youth Strategy 2019-2027’,

– having regard to the Commission publication entitled ‘Guidelines on the ethical use of artificial intelligence and data in teaching and learning for Educators’, published in 2026,

– having regard to the Commission publication entitled ‘Guidelines for teaching informatics: practical strategies for European classrooms’, published in 2026,

– having regard to the Commission publication entitled ‘Wellbeing and mental health at school – Guidelines for education policymakers’, published in 2024,

– having regard to the Joint Research Centre publication entitled ‘Social media usage and adolescents’ mental health in the EU’, published in 2025,

– having regard to UNESCO reports, in particular the report entitled ‘Media and information literacy for all: closing the gaps: global analysis of the current state of play of media and information literacy’, published in 2025,

– having regard to the OECD publication entitled ‘Pisa 2022 Results (Volume II): Learning During – and From – Disruption’, published in 2023,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 10 October 2025 entitled ‘Guidelines on measures to ensure a high level of privacy, safety and security for minors online, pursuant to Article 28(4) of Regulation (EU) 2022/2065’,

– having regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child of 20 November 1989, and to General comment No. 25 of 2021 on children’s rights in relation to the digital environment,

– having regard to the OECD publication entitled ‘Recommendation of the Council on Children in the Digital Environment’, published in 2025,

– having regard to the Council of Europe Guidelines to respect, protect and fulfil the rights of the child in the digital environment, published in 2018,

– having regard to the Council of Europe report entitled ‘Media Literacy for all: Supporting marginalised groups through community media, published in 2020,

– having regard to the policy document of the Council of Europe’s Steering Committee on Media and Information Society (CDMSI) entitled ‘National Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Strategies: Practical Steps and Indicators’, adopted in December 2025,

– having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Culture and Education (A10-0173/2026),

A. whereas media literacy and digital learning are essential to empower citizens with the critical skills necessary to assess, verify, create and share information and media content autonomously and responsibly across traditional and online platforms, and make informed choices in a constantly evolving information environment; whereas these skills reinforce civic participation, social inclusion and democratic resilience;

B. whereas media literacy and digital learning provide basic skills in modern society and are crucial in tackling the proliferation of disinformation, decline in trust in the media, and the impact of online platforms, new media actors, such as influencers and content creators, and artificial intelligence; whereas media literacy and digital learning are necessary in the context of changed patterns of information consumption, underpinned by ‘scrolling culture’;

C. whereas media literacy and digital learning are indispensable for ensuring the digital well-being of users;

D. whereas the ways media and digital content are accessed have changed significantly, with users, particularly minors and young people, increasingly choosing tailored content on social media platforms, closely following influencers’ activities, relying heavily on algorithmic recommendations and often having a shorter attention span than when they used traditional media; whereas social media can quickly personalise their feeds, exposing users, particularly minors, elderly users and other vulnerable users, to risks of harmful content being amplified or captured in information bubbles;

E. whereas certain design features of digital platforms, including algorithmic recommendation systems, can influence the selection and visibility of content and may contribute to risks related to users’ well-being and exposure to harmful content;

F. whereas in the current geopolitical situation, people in the EU should be equipped with a wide range of cognitive, technical and social skills to access and analyse media content effectively and thus remain resilient to potential manipulatory actions or hybrid attacks that aim to destabilise civic discourse and democratic processes;

G. whereas high-quality, independent and plural journalism is the cornerstone of democratic societies and plays a key role in strengthening media literacy, countering disinformation and increasing citizens’ trust in the information ecosystem, with a positive impact on the economic sustainability of the media sector; whereas public service media play a key role in pursuing these objectives and require adequate and sustainable funding;

H. whereas media literacy and digital education must be regarded as integral components of a comprehensive lifelong learning strategy, which should cover the specific needs of learners, and of the stakeholders in the education and information ecosystem, including parents, caregivers, educators, media, journalists, libraries, civil society organisations and new media actors, such as influencers and content creators; whereas the Strategy on Intergenerational Fairness recognises lifelong learning, digital skills, media literacy and active participation of all age groups as key conditions for intergenerational fairness and the resilience of democratic societies;

I. whereas effective media literacy and digital learning require equal opportunities in access to education and a pluralistic information environment;

J. whereas children access social media at an increasingly younger age, with 97 % of young people in the EU using the internet daily and social media platforms becoming the main source of information for young people aged 15-24;

K. whereas approaches to media literacy and digital learning vary across the EU, with significant differences with regard to their incorporation into school curricula and in the level of financial or administrative support provided for related actions or programmes, and with regard to the competent authorities or bodies and the cooperation between them;

L. whereas General comment No. 25 on children’s rights in relation to the digital environment adopted by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2021 establishes that the rights of the child must be respected, protected and fulfilled in the digital environment and that, in making their products and services available to children, digital service providers must follow the highest standards of ethics, privacy and safety, and age-appropriateness;

M. whereas media literacy and digital learning skills should be developed from an early age, with their introduction in primary education contributing to better preparing children for the challenges of the digital environment, in a manner appropriate to their age and development; whereas these skills are equally essential throughout a person’s lifetime, requiring a lifelong learning approach;

N. whereas prematurely introducing digital tools or technologies to minors before basic media literacy skills and critical thinking have been developed with analogue tools exposes them to a plethora of digital risks and online harms that they may not yet be equipped to recognise or manage;

O. whereas all populations, particularly minors, young people, older people, persons with disabilities and people in rural or remote areas with limited digital infrastructure, remain at higher risk of being exploited in the digital environment; whereas citizens of all ages, especially minors whose cognitive abilities are still developing, are vulnerable to risks related to AI-generated content and chatbots;

P. whereas introducing a minimum age for safeguarding minors when using online platforms, including discussions on minimum age, age verification and parental control, has been discussed by policymakers at both national and EU level;

Q. whereas the Commission set up a dedicated special panel of experts on child online safety in March 2026, tasked with developing recommendations to better protect and empower children in the digital environment; whereas the panel also looks at the importance of media literacy and digital learning for children, parents and educators;

R. whereas EU audiovisual and media legislation provides a definition and recognises the importance of media literacy, notably through Article 2(21) of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) and the media literacy obligations under the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD); whereas Article 13 EMFA tasks the European Board for Media Services with exchanging best practices on media literacy;

Core elements of the new approach to media literacy and digital learning

1. Underlines that a forward-looking approach to media literacy and digital learning should aim to empower people of all ages with basic skills that would allow them to fully benefit from the digital environment, boost their creative skills, benefit from exposure to a variety of sources and avoid risks related to the use and design of online platforms;

2. Highlights the role of media literacy in equipping individuals with critical thinking skills that contribute to informed and autonomous decision-making in democratic processes and enhance civic responsibility to counter disinformation, polarisation and foreign information manipulation and interference, particularly in electoral contexts;

3. Stresses that media literacy and digital learning should be reflected within broader EU initiatives aimed at safeguarding democratic processes, including in the context of the EU Democracy Shield;

4. Recognises that approaches to teaching media literacy and digital learning need to be innovative, intended for all population groups and adapted to the needs of learners, particularly vulnerable users experiencing disadvantages due to geographical, social, cultural and economic factors;

5. Recognises the value of peer-to-peer education implemented by Safer Internet Centres and civil society organisations as an effective tool for reaching children and adolescents with messages on safe use of the internet, complementing formal education;