by Michele Barbieri
Tackling disinformation is becoming a central activity for those working to achieve trustworthiness and transparency in the information system, and “to build informed and inclusive societies”. On 5th October 2020, UNDP & UNESCO launched a public consultation on Forging a Path to a Better Information Ecosystem – Effective Governance, Media, Internet and Peacebuilding Responses to Disinformation. The debate was open to multiple stakeholders, such as researchers, UN agencies, civil society groups, policy makers, media professionals, peacebuilders, fact checkers, digital experts, activists and others tackling disinformation.
The main areas of discussion are 3:
- A problem analysis: what is the impact of disinformation on political and social landscapes, democratic processes, media, marginalised groups and the general public?;
- Drivers, enablers and risk mitigation: how does context influence the spread of disinformation, how can we better monitor, anticipate and prepare?;
- The path forward: forging effective solutions and partnership.
The consultation ended on 30th October, involving 157 members. The flexible group gathered viewpoints, practices, empirical results, and assessments on the effects of, and responses to, this critical issue. The aim is to build enhanced understanding on disinformation, in order to provide policy advices, programmes and partnerships between civil and public society. Last but not least, adapting these kinds of responses to different contexts and several topics.