Imagine receiving a message from your bank asking you to verify your account. Or seeing an AI-generated video of a politician saying something outrageous just days before an election. Or using ChatGPT to help draft an email without knowing whether the information it provides is accurate. In today's world, being able to read and write is no longer enough. Citizens also need the skills to navigate an increasingly digital environment—to recognise misinformation, protect their personal data, evaluate AI-generated content and use digital technologies safely and confidently. This broader set of competences is known as digital literacy, and it is becoming essential for participating fully in modern society.
Digital literacy is about much more than knowing how to use a smartphone or computer. It combines technical, cognitive and social skills that help people access and assess information, communicate online, solve problems and make informed decisions. On a personal level, these skills help us stay connected with family and friends, use online banking, increasingly manage aspects of our health—and the list goes on. In education and at work, they help us access learning opportunities, collaborate remotely, work more efficiently and keep pace with technological change. And as citizens, these skills help us access public services online, find reliable information, take part in public debate, engage with our communities and make our voices heard.
While young people are often assumed to be inherently digitally literate, the evidence tells a more complex story. 43% of eighth-grade students aged 13 to 14 do not reach basic levels of digital skills, with persistent disparities based on socio-economic background and geographical location (source ↗).
Digital exclusion does not affect everyone equally. Older adults, people with lower levels of education and people outside the labour market remain particularly vulnerable to being left behind. Closing these gaps is increasingly important, since, as we have seen, digital competence affects people's ability to navigate everyday life and participate fully in society.
And the challenge does not stand still. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the skills we need, bringing new opportunities as well as new risks. Recognising that AI can produce convincing but inaccurate content, understanding how algorithms shape the information we encounter and using these technologies critically and responsibly are becoming essential parts of digital literacy.
Digital literacy is therefore a moving target—one that cannot be addressed through education at a single point in life, but requires opportunities for lifelong learning.
Recognising that digital skills are essential for Europe's future, the EU has made them a central part of its digital transformation. The Digital Decade Policy Programme sets a clear objective: by 2030, at least 80% of people aged 16–74 should have at least basic digital skills. Europe is making progress towards that goal: the share increased from 56% in 2023 to 60% in 2025. However, on the current trajectory, it is projected to reach 68% by 2030, leaving a significant gap to the EU's target.
Supporting this effort is DigComp, the European Digital Competence Framework, which describes the knowledge, skills and attitudes people need to participate confidently in a digital society. Rather than focusing solely on technical abilities, it encompasses areas such as information and data literacy, communication and collaboration, digital content creation, safety and problem solving. This is particularly important in an online environment increasingly shaped by disinformation, deepfakes and AI-generated content. Concern about these risks is widespread: The concern is widely shared: 87% of Europeans see online manipulation, including disinformation, AI-generated content and deepfakes, as a threat to democratic processes (source ↗).
Europe is also investing directly in skills. In their National Digital Decade Roadmaps, Member States reported around €24 billion across 349 measures supporting basic digital skills, with measures focused largely on formal education and digital inclusion.
Digital technologies are transforming how we learn, work, communicate and participate in society. Ensuring that everyone can navigate this landscape confidently, critically and safely is no longer simply an educational challenge—it is a societal one.
Access to technology is only the starting point. An inclusive digital future also requires people to have the skills, opportunities and confidence to understand digital technologies, question the information they encounter and participate actively in an increasingly digital society.
But responsibility cannot rest with individuals alone. Education systems, public authorities, employers, technology providers and civil society all have a role to play—by creating opportunities for lifelong learning and ensuring that the digital environments people encounter are accessible, safe and trustworthy.