The Government should increase public awareness of online safety by introducing the following proactive tools to help tackle disinformation:

• A national, ongoing media literacy programme. • Public awareness campaigns targeting all ages, including older adults. • A review of Ofcom’s powers and resources to identify, monitor and counter disinformation. A major MIT study found that false news travels around six times faster than accurate news on social media. Correcting false beliefs often fails – especially when they are rooted in identity or politics. Authoritarian regimes use disinformation to destabilise truth and centralise power. The threat to democracy is real. Parliament should increase media literacy, fund public campaigns and strengthen Ofcom’s ability to tackle disinformation.