Mme President, panelist,

Thank you for today’s discussion.

As people around the world turn to the Internet to connect, learn, do business and access services, disinformation – both foreign and homegrown – threatens to corrupt the information ecosystem, undermine social trust and weaken democracy.

Malign actors use disinformation to exploit the freedom of open societies, both online and through traditional media. They seek to pit people against one another, but also to influence electoral processes and systems, business and finance, education institutions and social and religious groupings.

We stand with the people of Ukraine, in particular those under Russian occupation, and reaffirm their right to exercise their fundamental freedoms online and offline. We also stand with the Government of Ukraine, which has long been the target of Russian state-sponsored disinformation.  Disinformation that most recently sought to justify Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion, and to further deflect its responsibility for attacks on civilians and human rights violations in places such as Bucha and Mariupol.

We believe a coordinated, whole of government and society approach – with respect for, and protection of human rights, fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law at its core – is the only way to preempt, expose, and successfully counter disinformation. It is vital that democratic governments work with all stakeholders to support independent media, invest in civic awareness and education, and promote lifelong media and digital literacy in order to increase citizens’ resilience to disinformation and responsible behaviour online. It is likewise critical that social media companies take greater responsibility for their role in shaping the online environment.

What is the role of the State in distinguishing fact from fiction to enable the respect for human rights online? How do we avoid governments becoming the arbiters of what is truth?