The worldwide community was urged by the UN to resist the use of false information on the Internet and abroad to damage nationals.
Irene Khan, the person in charge of promoting and protecting freedom of opinion and expression, said in remarks to journalists in New York City that she presented her report on false information, freedom of opinion, and expression during armed conflicts to the UN General Assembly last week.
As information is used as a weapon to sow doubt, feed hatred, encourage violence, tarnish the name of human rights activists, block humanitarian efforts, and prolong the conflict, she continued, countries and armed groups employ digital technology and social media.
Irene Khan made the point that nations and armed groups have been using information to mislead the enemy and lower its morale, but what’s worrying about today’s conflicts is the volume, speed, and spread of propaganda and hate speech that targets civilians, particularly weak and marginalised groups, and systematically violates human rights with impunity.
She emphasised the necessity of defending the right to look for different information sources, particularly during times of crisis and conflict because it is essential to preserving citizens’ lives, safety, and security.
The United Nations urges action to stop the spread of false information online.
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