UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Monday called on member states to address the “grave global harm” caused by the proliferation of hate and lies online, as he launched a key report designed to shore up information integrity on digital platforms.
Alarm over the potential threat posed by the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence (AI) must not obscure the damage already being done by digital technologies that enable the spread of online hate speech, as well as mis- and disinformation, he said.
The policy brief, which was outlined, argues that there should be integral players in upholding the accuracy, consistency and reliability of information shared by users.
“My hope is that it will provide a gold standard for guiding action to strengthen information integrity,” he wrote in the introduction.
“Digital platforms – which include social media channels, search engines and messaging apps – are connecting billions of people across the planet, with some three billion users of Facebook alone. “They have brought many benefits, from supporting communities in times of crisis and struggle to helping to mobilize global movements for racial justice and gender equality. They are also used by the UN to engage people worldwide in pursuit of peace, dignity and human rights on a healthy planet. –Agencies
