Video
28 October 2022

Disinformation: human rights voices

In this video, several human rights leaders, experts and activists share their views on the impact of disinformation on human rights and the ways to address this phenomenon.

Transcript

  • "Disinformation is a cancer in our democracy as it harms human rights in so many ways."
    John Morrison, CEO, Institute for Human Rights and Business
     
  • "Freedom of expression, freedom of opinion, but also our right to be informed is very much affected."
    Tena Šimonović Einwalter, Ombudswoman, Croatia and Chair, Equinet
     
  • "Disinformation influences my individual, my civic and even my political rights."
    Paulína Jalakšová, Board Member, European Youth Forum
     
  • "Disinformation is fuelling, for example, right wing propaganda and ideology."
    Noomi Anyanwu, Founder and Chairwoman, Black Voices Volksbegehren
     
  • "Disinformation can also be information the government doesn't like. So we're talking about something that actually prevents people from exercising their rights "
    Peggy Hicks, Director, Thematic Engagement, Special Procedures and Right to Development Division, UN Human Rights Office
     
  • "Disinformation is nothing new. We've had it since humanity emerged. The difference today is the massive amplification of lies through social media platforms, and they're doing the most enormous damage"
    Michael O'Flaherty, Director, EU Agency for Fundamental Rights
     
  • "The way in which this kind of content is amplified online at scale because of the size of online platform powers is new and should be addressed and is fundamentally linked to the business model of very large online platforms."
    Claire Fernandez, Executive Director, European Digital Rights
     
  • "If people are not even able to get the real information out there and we don't hold these corporations accountable that hold up these algorithms and everything to spread disinformation, there's no way of addressing any issue."
    Line Niedeggen, Communications and Strategy, Fridays for Future
     
  • "We should be ready to make those trying to spread and disseminate intoxication and disinformation legally accountable for it."
    Juan Fernando López Aguilar, Chair, Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, European Parliament
     
  • "We need to produce good information, communicate clearly, and fill the space to try to counter the disinformation."
    Sirpa Rautio, Director, Finnish Human Rights Centre
     
  • "We definitely need more education, more promotion of the way, how we could see what is true, what is not true, what is opinion, what is fact."
    Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, Gdansk Mayor