Childnet's response to Ofcom’s consultation document August 2004

Childnet is pleased to announce the publication of our response to Ofcom’s consultation document on the strategy and priorities for the promotion of media literacy in the UK.

In our response we make four main recommendations to Ofcom. Firstly we recommend further and ongoing research with children and young people as a key imput to any strategy, since children are by far the greater users of new technologies. Secondly we recommend that the definition of media literacy be expanded to include the notion of safety and security which are now key areas of skills that all citizens must embrace.

Thirdly we draw attention to the importance of the educational system in terms of helping new generations of citizens, not only acquire hands on skills but learn how to decode content, through whichever channel it may be accessed. Finally Childnet emphasize the importance of the global nature of the Internet and the implications of this in any strategy.

The response can be accessed both on the Childnet website as well as the Ofcom website.