Public Interest Journalism Working Group recommendations: Scottish Government response

Recommendation 7 – Big Tech

The Working Group recommends that the Scottish Government should work with the UK Government to ensure that the new UK Government Digital Markets Unit enables public interest news providers of all shapes and sizes to thrive in the digital economy; and that the Scottish Government should encourage big tech companies to support the establishment of the proposed Scottish Public Interest Journalism Institute.

Scottish Government culture officials will discuss with SG digital colleagues what action can be taken to address the concerns raised by the Working Group that the Digital Markets Unit Bill does not go far enough, including the potential for the Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture to write to the Secretary of State for Digital, Media, Culture and Sport expressing these concerns.

The Scottish Government will, where appropriate, facilitate engagement between industry and stakeholders with large digital companies to help them open a dialogue around support for a Scottish Public Interest Journalism Institute, following the proposed roundtable in Autumn 2022.