Side Event during PoC Week: Addressing the Impact of Mis-/Disinformation and Hate Speech on Civilians Evolving Policies and Practices from Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Actors (Thursday, 23 May 2024 15:00 – 17:00 EDT | 21:00 – 23:00 CEST)

Misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation (MDM), also categorized as “harmful information”, and hate speech pose a direct threat to civilians in situations of armed conflict and other humanitarian crises. MDM and hate speech affect conflict dynamics and exploit societal divisions by increasing mistrust, exacerbating polarization, and contributing to physical, political, economic, and gendered harms. Hate speech in particular can be a potential risk factor and trigger of violence, conflict, and violations of international humanitarian law (IHL) and international human rights law (IHRL).

Persons in conflict zones, including displaced and stateless persons, journalists, human rights defenders, civil society members, youth, and those with marginalized identities, are especially vulnerable to these phenomena. For instance, women and girls are more likely to receive information by word of mouth in conflict environments, and to therefore face greater challenges in verifying news and identifying harmful information. Increased vulnerability also occurs because established systems and structures and potential safeguards are often paralyzed, dysfunctional, or inexistent in conflict settings. MDM and hate speech can replicate and intensify negative social norms including gender stereotypes, inciting violence and undermining the meaningful participation of diverse groups in political and peace processes, as well as in digital spaces.

Disinformation actors or spoilers often exploit authentic grievances and create confusion around the role and intent of peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts. This can significantly hinder the ability of peacekeeping missions and humanitarians to operate safely and efficiently within conflict zones. More specifically, it can impede the delivery of critical aid, such as food, water, medical supplies, and shelter, thereby exacerbating conflict tensions and fueling hate speech and violence between different groups. In some peacekeeping settings, the hostility stirred in mission areas by mis-/dis-/malinformation has led to a diminishing level of consent from local communities. Resulting opposition can manifest as restrictions on freedom of movement, targeted demonstrations, and even direct attacks on individuals and convoys.

Moreover, by undermining the legitimacy of UN peacekeeping and the UN system more broadly, MDM and hate speech pose a severe threat to political settlements, reconciliation processes and/or peace talks, which are central to ending threats to civilians.