The UK’s social glue is fraying, and BBC Director General Tim Davie is sounding the alarm. In a speech in Salford on May 14, 2025, he warned that a “trust crisis” driven by social media and disinformation is threatening the nation’s democratic fabric for the first time in his lifetime. To fight back, Davie announced the BBC will ramp up news content on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, aiming to reach younger audiences where fake news often spreads unchecked.

Davie painted a stark picture: “The future of our cohesive, democratic society feels at risk.” He stressed the UK’s strengths—tolerance, creativity, fairness—but cautioned that without action, the country could slide into division and distrust. He sees the BBC, still the UK’s most trusted news source despite a drop from 57% to 45% in a decade, as a “national asset” to anchor shared facts in a polarized world.

The media landscape has shifted dramatically. Less than half of young people watch live TV weekly, and global platforms like YouTube and TikTok, used by 22 million Brits monthly, are now major news sources. Davie noted that during the recent election, young viewers flocked to BBC Verify’s fact-checking on these platforms, confused by online noise. “We’re not being dragged there,” he said. “We want to meet those audiences.” The BBC plans to “dramatically increase” tailored news clips and fact-checking content to cut through disinformation.

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But Davie’s plan has sparked debate. Critics argue the BBC’s own coverage, like its handling of past controversies, has fueled distrust. Supporters, though, see it as a bold move to reclaim truth in a murky digital age.

Davie also hinted at bigger changes. He called the TV licence fee outdated and suggested reforms, like wealth-based tiers, while ruling out ads or subscriptions. He pushed for more funding for the BBC World Service to counter state media from Russia and China, and proposed a national plan to shift TV to streaming by the 2030s, possibly with a BBC-branded device for non-streamers.

The stakes are high. Davie warned that without shared facts, “empathy withers,” turning disagreements into enmity. Whether the BBC’s pivot to social media can rebuild trust or just stir the pot remains to be seen, but it’s a gamble to keep the UK connected in a divided world.

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