Efforts to Combat Misinformation and Hate Speech at the Forefront of the UN's Global Agenda
At the Guadalajara International Book Fair, Melissa Fleming, the United Nations' Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, underscored the urgency of addressing misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech as fundamental to the advancement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Speaking with Carmen Morales, Director of the United Nations Information Center for Mexico, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic, Fleming emphasized the need to cultivate trustworthy and credible information environments where "facts prevail over lies" and hate can be curtailed, particularly on social media platforms.
Hate speech is categorically described as a form of misinformation capable of inciting violence—and even war. Fleming highlighted the global campaign "No to Hate," aimed at promoting mutual respect and defending human rights.
Fleming also pointed to the UN's Global Principles for Information Integrity, introduced by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in June 2024, which offers recommendations for digital platforms, governments, traditional media, advertisers, and users to develop more humane, safe, and peaceful information ecosystems.
During her conversation, Fleming addressed the pivotal role of reliable information systems for the achievement of SDGs. She stated, "Because without a healthy information ecosystem, we cannot move forward on the SDGs. For example, on climate action, if climate change is being distorted or labeled as a hoax, we need an information environment where facts prevail over lies. But, currently, our information ecosystem is contaminated with misinformation, false information, and hate speech. This is polarizing people and leading them down the wrong path."
Fleming characterized the contemporary information ecosystem as both harmful and dangerous, stating, "The threat is we no longer have a set of agreed-upon facts; for example, the consensus is climate change exists. Now this is being questioned. Before social media, there was a certain sense of tolerance. Now, people have lost decorum online, spreading hate and attacking those who are different."
She warned of harmful and irresponsible content circulating on social media, exacerbated by algorithms engineered to amplify outrage and fear rather than factual or positive content, which often remains minimized.
Regarding the UN's response to combat hate speech, Fleming mentioned their "No to Hate" campaign, noting, "It may sound obvious, but until we truly make people think hate speech should not be tolerated, we cannot make progress. What we seek is the opposite of hate. We believe people can live harmoniously, work together on common solutions, and not attack each other."
She elaborated on the UN's Global Principles for Information Integrity, stating, "One objective of the Global Communications Department of the UN, which I lead, is to disseminate reliable, fact-based information about the UN and the global situation. We have so much data, reports, and unique content no one else possesses, and our job is to package it, distribute it, and make it accessible. This has become increasingly difficult because algorithms do not prioritize 'political' content, including what the UN shares. That’s why we felt we needed to go beyond our typical communication role and create a plan for a healthy information ecosystem."
Fleming issued calls for digital platforms and artificial intelligence key actors to adhere to their own standards and uphold the principles of trust and safety, stating, "Unfortunately, many platforms have decimated their trust and safety teams or reduced them drastically. We call for these to be expanded. We also ask social media actors and AI companies to embed safety from the design stage. Misinformation should not be monetized; unfortunately, much of what drives misinformation, fake news, and deepfakes is profitable, and this must end.
Looking to the future, Fleming hopes the Global Principles of Information will guide individuals, governments, and other stakeholders to tackle misinformation and take action. She stated, "While the UN does not have regulatory authority, we do have moral authority. One of the things we are doing as our first action is to get our UN communication offices around the world, like the one in Mexico, to adopt the Global Principles and advocate for them with governments and other stakeholders within their countries."
Fleming also advocates for more investment in public interest media, which she explained is extremely important for democracy, noting, "Regrettably, with the rise of social media, we have seen serious damage done to the viability of media since its business model has collapsed. That's why we need more investment in the media. We also need more investment in media literacy. Children must be able to navigate social media, but also older adults."
She then encouraged individuals to reflect on how they may contribute to the problem of misinformation, reminding readers of their personal responsibility. "We have a saying we want everyone to hear: 'Think before you share.' Make sure to validate sources before spreading information and avoid being part of misinformation dissemination. I also urge parents to demand changes. Many parents are extremely concerned about their children's safety online, and I believe they are a powerful political force to demand changes to the algorithms feeding their children dangerous and harmful content."
With these proactive measures and campaigns, the UN aims not only to combat misinformation but to restore integrity within the global information ecosystem, paving the way for more reliable information sharing and human rights advocacy.