Greater media literacy advocated by EC

The European Commission (EC) has called on all member states to improve media literacy to ensure no-one is left behind by the digital economy.

Viviane Reding, information society and media commissioner at the EC, said more widespread technology training could help people to learn how to communicate using the internet so that everyone is able to contribute within modern society.

Active learning could help people learn to use VoIP solutions or other forms of communication such as instant messenger or email.

Ms Reding said: "If they can use the media in a competent and creative way we would take a step towards a new generation of democratic participation."

She added that greater literacy could mean that people are more driven to explore European culture online as well.

According to EC figures, nearly 60 per cent of Europeans now use the internet on a regular basis, which shows a substantial increase over the past four years.

The EC recently announced it will be spending nearly £16 million on research into 4G mobile networks across the continent.