Motion 92
Media Literacy Strategy & the Far Right
“That this Congress understands that with the rise of far-right activity in Scotland, news providers’ social media profiles have seen a marked increase in racist responses and comments appearing below the line.
“Congress notes that interviewees, subjects of news articles, and journalists have been subject to abuse on social media.
“Congress notes the UK Government’s Online Media Literacy Strategy, and the Scottish Public Interest Journalism Working Group’s recommendations to the Scottish Government to embed media literacy in the school curriculum and the importance of supporting this with resource allocation and integrating media literacy in upskilling programmes and governance processes.
“Congress further notes the comments of Amnesty International that technology companies’ algorithms ‘act as incendiaries that fuel division, disinformation, and hate’.
“Congress believes:
- that the effect of the policies of technology companies has been to promote racism and expose interviewees, subjects of news articles and journalists to unjustifiable risk;
- that increased media literacy will be crucial in combating the rise of the far-right; and
- that trade union branches, trades councils and campaign groups must be better equipped to disseminate anti-racist material through the media.
“Congress calls on the General Council to:
- write to the Scottish Government, requesting that it meets with technology companies to press them to take action to combat racism on their platforms;
- work with the NUJ to develop a media literacy and media skills training programme, with accompanying hard copy and/or digital materials, for trade union branches, trades councils and campaign groups;
- call on the Scottish Government to work with the STUC and NUJ to develop a media literacy strategy for Scotland; and
- work with education unions to call on the Scottish Government to embed media literacy in the school curriculum, and with the STUC Equalities Committees to ensure an inclusive-led approach.”
Mover: National Union of Journalists (NUJ)
RSS