President calls for media literacy policy

President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca yesterday said that the need for a Maltese media literacy policy is particularly necessary, in the light of what we know about the growing risks of cyberbullying in Malta.

She was delivering the opening speech during a public conference on digital dangers entitled ‘Type In Love, Type Out Hate,’ organised by the Office of Member of the European Parliament Marlene Mizzi.

Mrs Coleiro Preca said media literacy must become an intrinsic part of our national and European educational curricula, in line with the European Commission’s 2009 report on ‘Media Literacy in Europe’.

The President said that our children and young people must be educated in the correct use of electronic and digital media to keep themselves safe at all times, and that digital literacy must be recognized by all as an essential life skill.

Mrs Coleiro Preca said that anonymous online bullying is a relatively new phenomenon that is unfortunately becoming increasingly common. According to a report published last year by the European Commission, entitled ‘Cyberbullying Among Young People’, more than one in ten 11 to 16 year-olds, are reporting that they have experienced serious online bullying.

“Cyberbullying, at its core, involved the malicious misuse of electronic and digital media. These technologies are today an integral part of many people’s social and working lives, in particular, for younger generations. However, for our children and young people to enjoy the positive benefits of online communication, it is necessary to prevent or, indeed, to put a stop to cyberbullying.”

Mainstream media education and media literacy are powerful ways of preventing and potentially ending the risks of cyberbullying, the President said.

“Despite Europe giving visibility to these issues for over a decade, according to the European University Institute, only four European countries have a well-developed media literacy policy, while twelve have an underdeveloped policy. Three European countries, including Malta, have no policy at all.”

The President made an appeal for the laws of our country to reflect the growing concern, which many people, including parents, feel, towards safeguarding the best interests of children and young people.

“I believe that we must strengthen existing laws but also to consider a potential specific law, which highlights the crimes of cyberbullying.” The President also said that legal measures need to be paralleled with a more positive outlook, which reinforces the importance of a culture of respect.

“This is an integral part of a positive peace approach, which ensures that the wellbeing and the peace of mind of the people of our nation is truly at the heart of all our policies,” Coleiro Preca added.