National strategy

Media literacy has become a strategic priority in Portugal, reflecting the increasing complexity of the digital environment and the urgency of equipping citizens with critical and ethical skills for navigating online content. The most significant development in recent years is the establishment of the National Plan for Media Literacy (PNLM), approved by the Government through Resolution of the Council of Ministers No. 142/2023 and expanded in early 2025 with the publication of the PNLM Strategic Plan 2025–2029, currently under public consultation. The Plan emphasises the protection of democracy, the fight against disinformation, the promotion of informed public participation and the development of competencies for interacting responsibly with emerging technologies, including generative artificial intelligence. 

To ensure implementation and coordination, a national advisory council was appointed in 2024, comprising five specialists in media, digital literacy and communication, chaired by academic Sara Pereira and including figures from journalism, digital ethics and data science. This council supports the inter‑ministerial commission responsible for steering the PNLM and provides strategic guidance for policy development and monitoring. 

Media literacy is further reinforced by an updated legislative framework. The ERC (Regulatory Authority for the Media) gained explicit competences in 2020 to monitor and evaluate media literacy initiatives and publish triennial national reports on media literacy levels, as well as to supervise obligations of public service media and digital platforms in promoting accessible and inclusive educational content. By 2025, new regulations continued to integrate literacy obligations into national communication and digital governance policies, including the creation of a Mission Structure for the Media Sector in 2024, and the approval of the PNLM 2025–2029 through Resolution No. 65/2025.

Media literacy and online safety through formal education

In the formal education system, media literacy is embedded across multiple curricular and transversal domains, supported by national guidance in Education for Digital Citizenship, which has been reinforced through updated recommendations in 2025. A comprehensive national report published in July 2025 outlines coordinated measures for integrating digital citizenship into school practices, with a focus on online safety, critical thinking, cyberbullying prevention, and responsible use of digital tools. The report also highlights the introduction of restrictions on smartphone use in the 1st and 2nd cycles of basic education to promote concentration, reduce digital risks and safeguard students’ well‑being. 

Schools benefit from a broad ecosystem of support. The “Digital Leaders” programme trains student ambassadors to lead peer‑to‑peer awareness activities on online safety and digital ethics, while cooperation with national security forces, the Judiciary Police and specialised organisations support the delivery of school‑based training on cybercrime, digital risk prevention and safe media use. The School Libraries Network (RBE) and teacher training centres regularly produce pedagogical resources to support critical media analysis, information verification, and responsible digital participation. 

Portugal has also invested significantly in digital transformation through the National Catalogue of Digital Development Practices, published in 2026, identifying more than 500 initiatives implemented by schools between 2020 and 2025 under the national digital transition strategy. These initiatives demonstrate substantial growth in the pedagogical integration of digital technologies and in the development of students’ digital and media literacy skills.  

Promoting media literacy and online safety through non-formal and informal learning

Outside formal education, media literacy is promoted through organisations such as youth associations, libraries, NGOs, municipalities and communication sector bodies. The Safer Internet Centre (CIS) continues to provide national services including helplines, awareness campaigns and digital safety resources, and is supporting new research into cybersecurity behaviours among young people — notably the CiberYoung study (2025), which examines psychological and behavioural factors shaping online decision‑making in youth. 

The GILM (Informal Group on Media Literacy) remains a central actor in public awareness, consolidating a multistakeholder approach that includes ERC, CNCS, RTP, DGE, OberCom and other institutions. In 2024, GILM presented the next steps for a coordinated national media literacy strategy, including its participation in the PNLM advisory board and commitments to expand international partnerships in media education. 

Community projects and cultural institutions also provide workshops and campaigns on digital identity, misinformation, safe social media use, AI literacy and digital citizenship, often working with vulnerable populations to reduce inequalities in digital access and skills.

Raising awareness about the risks posed by new media

Public awareness campaigns addressing online risks have intensified in 2024–2026, focusing on cyberbullying, privacy protection, misinformation and risky behaviours online. National guidance for schools in 2025 reinforced coordinated measures to prevent cyberbullying, restrict harmful smartphone use, and promote rules for balanced digital engagement in school communities. 

Evidence from the EU Kids Online Portugal 2025 study has brought new urgency to these initiatives: 85% of children and young people aged 9–17 now use generative AI tools, often for schoolwork but also for emotional and personal support, raising concerns about exposure to manipulation, misinformation and inequality of access between socio‑economic groups. 

National authorities, including ERC, CNCS and the Safer Internet Centre, continue to run awareness campaigns, training sessions and reporting services that promote safe, ethical and critical engagement with digital media. These actions aim to ensure that all young people develop the resilience, critical capacity and safety awareness needed to navigate an increasingly complex digital ecosystem.