Taking Action for a “clean” information ecosystem

Information pollution is a feature of our communication exchanges today. Ranging from spam messages cluttering up your inbox or unwanted advertising popping up on your social media pages to information being weaponized to incite violence, threaten democracy and human rights, and undermine public health and climate action. In his “Common Agenda” report the United Nations Secretary-General has identified the spread of mis- and disinformation and hate speech as an “existential risk to humanity” affecting all the Sustainable Development Goals.

Globally an estimated 67 percent of the world’s population is online as per the recent ITU Facts and Figures report. The figure for Mauritius is 68 per cent of people while in Seychelles is higher with 82 per cent. The vast scope for communications provided by digital platforms has brought about many incredible benefits to our society, increasing access to information, creating real-time engagement, and amplifying voices. But it is also evident that the sheer volume and questionable quality of information at our fingertips presents challenges of its own. This makes finding a solution to address the contamination of the information ecosystem no easy task.

Our UN Country Teams in Mauritius and Seychelles are taking action for information integrity to support a “clean” information ecosystem where human rights and freedom of expression can thrive. Here are some ways we are doing this:

1. Advancing internet integrity through national consultations for a voluntary UN Code of Conduct for Information Integrity on Digital Platforms bringing together stakeholders from human rights to tech entrepreneurs to share their recommendations on the 9 principles for the Secretary-General led voluntary Code of Conduct to be presented to member states at the Summit of the Future.
2. Empowering the youth internet users through the Noontime Knowledge Series led in collaboration with university students. The focus of the most recent series was privacy concerns around AI and its impact on youth rights.
3. Facilitating the visit of the Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy to Mauritius who examined privacy issues in relation to personal data, sharing of data across borders and cybersecurity, surveillance, artificial intelligence, gender, vulnerable persons, and children in the digital age.

The world is at a critical tipping point for digital governance. As we work to advance the 17 sustainable development goals it is vital that the international community prioritizes a digital space that's more transparent, inclusive and safe for all.

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For more information:

UN Code of Conduct 9 Principles

ITU Facts and Figures Report 2023

Noontime Knowledge Series

Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy