UN announces action plans to tackle spread of disinformation on social media platforms

The United Nations on Monday (Nov 6) sounded the alarm on the intensification of disinformation and hate speech online and announced a plan to curb its spread.

This came after a global survey showed that more than 85% of people were concerned about online disinformation's impact and 87% believed that it had already scarred the political scenario in their country.

Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO said that hate speech online and false information constitute "a major threat to stability and social cohesion".

"Digital technology has enabled immense progress on freedom of speech. But social media platforms have also accelerated and amplified the spread of false information and hate speech, posing major risks to societal cohesion, peace and stability," Azoulay told reporters on Monday.

"To protect access to information, we must regulate these platforms without delay, while at the same time protecting freedom of expression and human rights," she added.

A survey conducted by pollster Ipsos of 8,000 people residing in countries including Austria, Croatia, the US, Algeria, Mexico, Ghana and India, uncovered that around 56 per cent of internet users consumed news via social media platforms, whereas only 44 per cent of the people got it from TV channels and 29 per cent from news websites.

The organisation, while expressing concern over the situation, said that there was a dire need for effective regulation to control the dissemination of disinformation as the survey showed how social media was the main source of news for the majority of the people in almost all the countries.

However, across these 16 countries where the survey was conducted and which are also due to hold national polls next year, 68 per cent of the respondents agreed that social media was not a reliable source of information and that these platforms were mainly home to false information.

“People are very concerned about disinformation, across every country and social category – age, education, rural or urban,” said Mathieu Gallard of Ipsos. “They are especially worried during elections – and they want all actors to fight it.”

Action plan

UNESCO said that its seven key principles must be respected so that "the impact on human rights becomes the compass for all decision-making, at every stage and by every stakeholder."

"Our work has been guided by one central requirement: the protection at all times of freedom of expression and all other human rights. Restricting or limiting speech would be a terrible solution. Having media outlets and information tools that are independent, qualitative and free, is the best long-term response to disinformation," the Director-General underscored.

(With inputs from agencies)