Plans to hand established broadcasters and media companies greater prominence on digital platforms like YouTube and TikTok have been unveiled, as ministers warned online misinformation risked becoming “existential for our democracy”.

In proposals that set up a new clash with global tech companies, content from the likes of the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 would have to be awarded more promotion by their algorithms – with special rules considered for times of social unrest or crisis.

It comes after a concerted campaign by the UK’s public service broadcasters (PSBs), who have also been arguing their content needs to be safeguarded to protect the “shared social fabric of the UK”.

They have long harboured concerns that their content is being drowned out by less reliable content, or demoted by the sheer weight of English-language material generated in the US.

Ian Murray, the media minister, said he hoped the big tech companies would work with the government to put new prominence rules into place. However, he said legislation could be used if required. “The ball is in their court,” he said.

Murray said the shift towards online platforms was “existential for media, but also existential for our democracy”, pointing to the amount of misinformation detected during last week’s Makerfield byelection.

A government consultation on the issue, published on Tuesday, signals that greater prominence for news coverage could be extended to local and national newspapers, labelling them as “trustworthy providers”.

It sets up the delicate task of defining which outlets count as trustworthy providers – a definition that is likely to be fought over fiercely by news outlets, broadcasters and content creators.

Guy Black, deputy chair of the Telegraph Media Group and chair of the News Media Association, said: “The government is right to highlight the growing problem of misinformation online, but the solution must ensure that media diversity is protected, maintaining public access to diverse and plural sources of trusted information.”

Social media companies have previously been sceptical about artificially boosting the prominence of traditional media, arguing that it goes against the principle of creator content.

Prominent figures in the creator economy have also questioned the approach. In an interview with the Guardian last year, Jordan Schwarzenberger, the manager of the Sidemen, who have well over 100 million subscribers between them, said the demand from PSBs was a “defeatist mentality”.

David Wheeldon, senior director of government affairs and public policy for YouTube, Europe, said: “The UK’s creator economy is a global success story because of one simple idea: on YouTube, viewers decide what they want to watch.
“Prominence rules seek to distort that – forcing YouTube to prioritise government-picked channels over whatever viewers actually came to watch. That’s not fair on users, creators or the wider journalism ecosystem. We’ll continue to advocate for a level playing field.”

It comes with more people now receiving news through digital platforms than from news sites and TV channels, according to a recent annual study by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.

Other types of high-quality content from public service media could also be given prominence.

The BBC, funded through the licence fee, as well as ITV and Channel 4 are now all trying to boost their presence on YouTube. However, the economics of YouTube remain challenging for them.

“TV remains at the heart of our society,” said Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary. “It is key to supporting social cohesion and is a cornerstone of our democracy, which is why, as the technology underpinning it changes, we are making sure it is protected for generations to come.”

The government’s green paper includes proposals to safeguard the biggest sporting events in the digital age, by ensuring streaming and catch-up rights to some of the world’s biggest fixtures – such as the World Cup, Olympics and Wimbledon – cannot be put behind a paywall.

It also includes options for switching off terrestrial signals in favour of digital TV via internet connections. That could happen as early as 2034, which has prompted concerns about the impact on older viewers who do not have high-quality broadband connections.

The consultation leaves open the possibility of delaying the switchover to 2044.