UN Secretary-General launches UN Global Principles for Information Integrity

The world must respond to the harms caused by the spread of hate and lies online while vigorously defending human rights, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said at the launch of the United Nations Global Principles for Information Integrity, 24 June 2024.

One year after launching his report on information integrity on digital platforms, the Secretary-General presented a framework for coordinated international action to make information spaces safer and more humane, one of the most urgent tasks of our time.

Misinformation, disinformation, hate speech, and other risks to the information ecosystem are fueling conflict, threatening democracy and human rights, and undermining public health and climate action. Their proliferation is now enhanced by the rapid rise of easily accessible Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, increasing the threat to some groups often targeted in information spaces, including children. 

"The United Nations Global Principles for Information Integrity aim to empower people to demand their rights," said the Secretary-General. "At a time when billions of people are exposed to false narratives, distortions, and lies, these principles mark a clear way forward, firmly rooted in human rights, including the right to freedom of expression and opinion."

The UN chief urgently called on governments, technology companies, advertisers, and the public relations industry to take responsibility for disseminating and monetizing harmful content.

The erosion of information integrity is compromising the UN's missions, operations, and priorities, including vital peacekeeping operations and humanitarian efforts. In a global survey of UN staff, 80% of respondents said that damaging information puts them and the communities they serve at risk.

The principles result from extensive consultations with member states, the private sector, youth leaders, media, academia, and civil society. 

The recommendations in this document are designed to foster healthier and safer information spaces that promote human rights, peaceful societies, and a sustainable future.

The 5 Global Principles for a more humane information ecosystem are:

What do these principles include?

Governments, technology companies, advertisers, media, and other stakeholders should refrain from using, supporting, or amplifying disinformation and hate speech for any purpose.

Governments should facilitate timely access to information, ensure a free, viable, independent, and pluralistic media landscape, and ensure robust protection for journalists, researchers, and civil society.

Technology companies should ensure security and privacy by design in all their products, along with consistent application of policies and remedies across countries and languages, with particular attention to the needs of groups often targeted online. They must improve their response and take steps to support the integrity of information during elections.

All parties involved in developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies must take urgent, immediate, inclusive, and transparent steps to ensure that all AI applications are designed, implemented, and used safely, responsibly, and ethically to respect human rights.

Technology companies must develop business models that do not rely on programmatic advertising and that do not prioritize engagement over human rights, privacy, and security. These models must allow users greater choice and control over their online experience and personal data.

Advertisers should demand transparency in the technology sector's digital advertising processes to help ensure that advertising budgets do not inadvertently fund disinformation, hate, or undermine human rights.

Tech companies and AI developers should ensure meaningful transparency, allow researchers and academics access to data while respecting user privacy, commission publicly available independent audits, and co-develop accountability frameworks for the industry.

Governments, technology companies, AI developers, and advertisers should take special measures to protect and empower children, and governments must provide resources to parents, guardians, and educators.

"Everyone should be able to express themselves freely without fear of attack. Everyone should be able to access diverse opinions and sources of information. No one should be at the mercy of an algorithm that they do not control, that was not designed to safeguard their interests, and that tracks their behavior to collect personal data and keep them hooked," stressed the Secretary-General during the presentation of the Global Principles, placing particular emphasis on the situation of vulnerability in which millions of girls and boys find themselves.

"The UN listens to your pleas for guidance and support. Do not be discouraged: raise your voice. Demand accountability, demand choice, demand control. You are the majority. And this is a fight we can win together," concluded António Guterres (Read the Secretary-General's entire message).

For her part, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communication Melissa Fleming also urgently called on people to respect the integrity of information, especially those who create artificial intelligence.

"AI creators: make sure you don't make the same mistakes as social network creators. Make sure you are safe by design, make sure you make branded content, and remove content that fails to comply with the principles," he said.

Background:

The UN Global Principles for Information In "AI creators: make sure you don't make the same mistakes as social network creators. Make sure you are safe by design, make sure you make branded content, and remove content that fails to comply with the principles," he said. integrity arises from a proposal in Our Common Agenda, the Secretary-General's 2021 report outlining a vision for the future of global cooperation and multilateral action. The Principles are a resource for member states ahead of the Summit of the Future to be launched next September.

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The Universal Principles for Information Integrity are available at:

https://www.un.org/es/information-integrity

View a video presentation of the Universal Principles at: 

https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1c/k1c1nfpy8n