Background
The Challenge
Information is shared and accessed today in a complex interconnected network of online and offline platforms often referred to as the “information ecosystem.”
Risks to the integrity of this information ecosystem include the spread of misinformation, disinformation and hate speech and encompass a range of current, emergent and future threats amid rapid breakthroughs in artificial intelligence.
These can undermine people’s human rights and can hamper efforts to achieve peace, prosperity and a livable future on our planet.
The Consequences
Impacts can be seen across the world, including in areas of health, climate action, democracy and elections, gender equality, peace and security and humanitarian response.
Groups in situations of vulnerability and marginalization are disproportionately exposed to potential harm.
Gender-based hate speech and disinformation, for instance, seek to systematically subjugate women and push them out of public life. This can have devastating and long-lasting consequences, suppressing women’s voices, causing professional and reputational damage, and inciting physical violence.
Many young people and children spend a significant portion of their lives online where they access a vast range of information. They also often bear the brunt of harmful content and behaviours in digital spaces.
Efforts to undermine climate action further highlight the urgency of the challenge. Coordinated disinformation campaigns, often driven by commercial interests, seek to deny or sow doubt about the scientifically agreed basis for human-induced climate change in order to delay or derail action to meet climate goals.
Scaling Up Action
Following the launch of the Secretary-General’s Policy Brief 8 in 2023, the United Nations undertook a global consultation process which culminated in the United Nations Global Principles For Information Integrity.
The United Nations welcomed global input through an online public submission form and events organized at global and national levels. We listened to a wide range of groups, including youth-led organizations, civil society organizations, academics, news media, advertisers, States, technology companies and more.
This inclusive approach was crucial in shaping actionable steps and recommendations towards a healthier information ecosystem for all.