Session
Indian Aerospace Defence News(IADN)
Monojit Das, Independent Analyst, Asia-Pacific Group Manish Jaiswal, Indian Aerospace Defence News(IADN), Asia-Pacific Group Gabriel Karsan, African Parliamentary Network, African Group Susan, Cyber Peace Zambia, African Group Jannatul Ferdous, Comilla University, Bangladesh, Asia-Pacific Group Kathleen Noyes, FBI, Intergovernmental Group Gregory John Simons, Uppsala University, Asia-Pacific
Monojit Das, Independent Analyst, Asia-Pacific Group Manish Jaiswal, Indian Aerospace Defence News(IADN), Asia-Pacific Group Gabriel Karsan, African Parliamentary Network, African Group Susan, Cyber Peace Zambia, African Group Jannatul Ferdous, Comilla University, Bangladesh, Asia-Pacific Group Kathleen Noyes, FBI, Intergovernmental Group Gregory John Simons, Uppsala University, Asia-Pacific
Organization's Website
Speakers
Monojit Das, Independent Analyst, Asia-Pacific Group
Manish Jaiswal, Indian Aerospace Defence News(IADN), Asia-Pacific Group
Gabriel Karsan, African Parliamentary Network, African Group
Onsite Moderator
Gabriel Karsan
Rapporteur
Jannatul Ferdous
SDGs
16.3
16.4
Targets: The session aligns with SDG 16.3 (“Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all”) and SDG 16.4 (“By 2030, significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets, and combat all forms of organized crime”). SDG 16.3: Fake news and misinformation can undermine the rule of law by spreading confusion, inciting violence, and distorting public understanding of key legal issues. By discussing how governments and international bodies can cooperate to address fake news, this session advocates for stronger rule-of-law frameworks that protect societies from the consequences of disinformation, ensuring access to truthful information for all citizens. SDG 16.4: Fake news is often a tool used in organized crime, political manipulation, and financial fraud. By strengthening the international and national efforts to curb misinformation, this session directly links to SDG 16.4’s goal of reducing illicit activities and supporting accountability in the digital space, where disinformation often enables illegal activities such as financial crimes or human rights violations. The session will showcase global efforts to combat misinformation, drawing from case studies where effective laws, fact-checking, and collaborations have proven successful in curbing the spread of fake news, thus reinforcing the global commitment to these SDGs.
16.4
Targets: The session aligns with SDG 16.3 (“Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all”) and SDG 16.4 (“By 2030, significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets, and combat all forms of organized crime”). SDG 16.3: Fake news and misinformation can undermine the rule of law by spreading confusion, inciting violence, and distorting public understanding of key legal issues. By discussing how governments and international bodies can cooperate to address fake news, this session advocates for stronger rule-of-law frameworks that protect societies from the consequences of disinformation, ensuring access to truthful information for all citizens. SDG 16.4: Fake news is often a tool used in organized crime, political manipulation, and financial fraud. By strengthening the international and national efforts to curb misinformation, this session directly links to SDG 16.4’s goal of reducing illicit activities and supporting accountability in the digital space, where disinformation often enables illegal activities such as financial crimes or human rights violations. The session will showcase global efforts to combat misinformation, drawing from case studies where effective laws, fact-checking, and collaborations have proven successful in curbing the spread of fake news, thus reinforcing the global commitment to these SDGs.
Format
The session will consist of a panel discussion involving speakers from various sectors: government representatives, law enforcement officials, media experts, civil society advocates, and technologists working on counter-disinformation tools.
The panel will provide a multi-stakeholder perspective on how different bodies—national governments, international organizations, law enforcement agencies, media outlets, and tech platforms—can work together to combat fake news. The discussion will be followed by interactive Q&A sessions where both onsite and online attendees will be able to engage with the panelists.
Duration (minutes)
30
Description
This session will explore the critical role of inter-governmental bodies, national authorities, and various stakeholders—including law enforcement agencies, media organizations, and civil society groups—in the fight against the spread of fake news. Fake news poses a significant challenge to public trust, democracy, and security, particularly in the digital age, where misinformation can spread rapidly through social media platforms and news outlets.
The session will examine existing frameworks and mechanisms used by governments and international organizations to prevent the dissemination of false information. It will explore the role of laws and regulations, as well as collaborative efforts between public and private sector stakeholders, to identify, combat, and prevent fake news. Additionally, it will delve into the responsibilities of media and tech platforms, the role of fact-checking, and the balance between freedom of expression and the regulation of harmful content.
The event will highlight best practices, challenges, and emerging solutions from various regions, and it will encourage participants to discuss how multilateral and national approaches can be harmonized to address the global nature of fake news.
This session will connect with the IGF 2025 issue areas of Media and Information Literacy, Human Rights, Trust and Security, and Internet Governance.
Real-time streaming of the panel and breakout sessions will ensure that both onsite and online participants can hear and view the discussion. A moderator will manage the interaction between onsite and online speakers, ensuring that both groups have equal opportunities to participate and ask questions. Simultaneous Q&A: Online participants will be able to submit questions via live chat or a dedicated platform, which will be answered in real-time by the panelists. Similarly, onsite participants will be given microphones to ask questions during the session. Visual and audio quality will be a priority. Interactive elements like live polls, surveys, and feedback forms will be incorporated into the session to gather real-time input from all attendees. Breakout sessions will allow both online and onsite participants to engage in deeper discussions. Technology will ensure both sets of groups can collaborate on the same platform. Live captioning and translation will be provided to ensure inclusivity for non-native speakers and participants with accessibility needs. Slido will be used for live polls, Q&A, and collecting feedback, allowing both onsite and online attendees to participate in real-time. A dedicated google drive link will provide all participants with access to session details, speaker bios, and a discussion forum, ensuring that everyone stays informed. For wider participation, we will promote the session through social media, using specific hashtags for attendees to share insights and questions, extending the reach of the event.
Real-time streaming of the panel and breakout sessions will ensure that both onsite and online participants can hear and view the discussion. A moderator will manage the interaction between onsite and online speakers, ensuring that both groups have equal opportunities to participate and ask questions. Simultaneous Q&A: Online participants will be able to submit questions via live chat or a dedicated platform, which will be answered in real-time by the panelists. Similarly, onsite participants will be given microphones to ask questions during the session. Visual and audio quality will be a priority. Interactive elements like live polls, surveys, and feedback forms will be incorporated into the session to gather real-time input from all attendees. Breakout sessions will allow both online and onsite participants to engage in deeper discussions. Technology will ensure both sets of groups can collaborate on the same platform. Live captioning and translation will be provided to ensure inclusivity for non-native speakers and participants with accessibility needs. Slido will be used for live polls, Q&A, and collecting feedback, allowing both onsite and online attendees to participate in real-time. A dedicated google drive link will provide all participants with access to session details, speaker bios, and a discussion forum, ensuring that everyone stays informed. For wider participation, we will promote the session through social media, using specific hashtags for attendees to share insights and questions, extending the reach of the event.