Session
Organizer 1: Technical Community, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Organizer 2: Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Organizer 3: Technical Community, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Organizer 4: Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Organizer 2: Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Organizer 3: Technical Community, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Organizer 4: Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 1: Beatriz Barbosa, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 2: Kira Beatriz, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 3: João Brant, Government, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 4: Michael Markovitz, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 2: Kira Beatriz, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 3: João Brant, Government, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 4: Michael Markovitz, Civil Society, African Group
Format
Roundtable
Duration (minutes): 90
Format description: The round table format favors multistakeholder engagement with presentation of different regional experiences and perspectives related to the issue addressed, and an informal debate on pressing topics, such as changes in liability regimes, or regulatory initiatives on direct compensation for journalism initiatives. The 90 minutes duration would facilitate the discussion of complex issues characterized by multiple perspectives from different stakeholder groups and regions and challenges of effective implementation of consensual principles, and allow time for the audience participation through questions & answers.
Duration (minutes): 90
Format description: The round table format favors multistakeholder engagement with presentation of different regional experiences and perspectives related to the issue addressed, and an informal debate on pressing topics, such as changes in liability regimes, or regulatory initiatives on direct compensation for journalism initiatives. The 90 minutes duration would facilitate the discussion of complex issues characterized by multiple perspectives from different stakeholder groups and regions and challenges of effective implementation of consensual principles, and allow time for the audience participation through questions & answers.
Policy Question(s)
1. How is information integrity conceptualized and addressed by different regulatory or developmental initiatives around the world, including differences between Global North and Global South?
2. How can regulatory proposals assign duties to digital platforms regarding the flow and integrity of information, considering impacts such as disinformation, hate speech, and risks to democratic electoral processes?
3. In addition to state-led regulatory processes, what initiatives are other stakeholder groups developing for information integrity, especially in terms of technical solutions?
What will participants gain from attending this session? Participants will benefit from the discussion on the complex concept of information integrity through a multistakeholder perspective, and will explore different approaches to strengthening information integrity. The workshop discussion will not only identify the main perspectives around this topic but will also promote the exchange of concrete experiences and lessons learned about how different solutions have been applied. Among the initiatives discussed are, for example, strict regulations, duties of care, best practices, and technical means for possible solutions to challenges such as misinformation, hate speech on social networks, and violations of fundamental rights.
The workshop is structured to benefit participants through dialogue involving different areas of knowledge. The workshop allows participants to interact with speakers who have extensive and varied experience in the subject, enabling identification with common or relevant discussions and approaches. Finally, the workshop addresses global challenges through regional experiences, bringing together insights and measures for information integrity.
SDGs
Description:
Information integrity has gained recognition as an international concern. The rise of this terminology reflects an evolving policy response to the erosion of Internet spaces, as different strategies of social manipulation gain relevance. The World Economic Forum's Global Risks Report 2024, for instance, highlighted disinformation as "the most severe short-term risk the world faces" and raised concerns about AI’s role in amplifying the problem, threatening social stability. Several principle-based framework initiatives have been released in the international arena as contributions to promote regional policy initiatives. Examples include the United Nations' Policy Brief 8: Information Integrity on Digital Platforms, UNESCO’s Ethics on AI and Information Integrity; and the OECD’s Recommendation of the Council on Information Integrity. Also many regional initiatives have sought to address different aspects of the information integrity framework. From a regulatory perspective, different jurisdictions have discussed mechanisms to enforce platforms' liability obligations, encouraging more diligent conduct in fostering a healthy information environment. Another example is the promotion of journalism plurality to ensure reliable information, including obligations for media companies and journalists to be remunerated. Some perspectives highlight the limits of regulation, advocating instead for a developmental framework that supports alternative technological solutions to big tech dominance, such as federated and distributed networks. The private sector has also invested in initiatives to strengthen transparency, including the creation of secure infrastructures for data exchange between governments and researchers. Despite the emergence of important contributions, concrete and effective initiatives at the local level are still lacking. Moreover, different perspectives from the Global North and South should be considered in discussions on information integrity. In this sense, the workshop aims to present initiatives that, based on diverse perspectives on information integrity, provide concrete instruments to implement the principles that have been consensually agreed upon in various international approaches.
Information integrity has gained recognition as an international concern. The rise of this terminology reflects an evolving policy response to the erosion of Internet spaces, as different strategies of social manipulation gain relevance. The World Economic Forum's Global Risks Report 2024, for instance, highlighted disinformation as "the most severe short-term risk the world faces" and raised concerns about AI’s role in amplifying the problem, threatening social stability. Several principle-based framework initiatives have been released in the international arena as contributions to promote regional policy initiatives. Examples include the United Nations' Policy Brief 8: Information Integrity on Digital Platforms, UNESCO’s Ethics on AI and Information Integrity; and the OECD’s Recommendation of the Council on Information Integrity. Also many regional initiatives have sought to address different aspects of the information integrity framework. From a regulatory perspective, different jurisdictions have discussed mechanisms to enforce platforms' liability obligations, encouraging more diligent conduct in fostering a healthy information environment. Another example is the promotion of journalism plurality to ensure reliable information, including obligations for media companies and journalists to be remunerated. Some perspectives highlight the limits of regulation, advocating instead for a developmental framework that supports alternative technological solutions to big tech dominance, such as federated and distributed networks. The private sector has also invested in initiatives to strengthen transparency, including the creation of secure infrastructures for data exchange between governments and researchers. Despite the emergence of important contributions, concrete and effective initiatives at the local level are still lacking. Moreover, different perspectives from the Global North and South should be considered in discussions on information integrity. In this sense, the workshop aims to present initiatives that, based on diverse perspectives on information integrity, provide concrete instruments to implement the principles that have been consensually agreed upon in various international approaches.
Expected Outcomes
The session aims to generate collaborative dialogue, leading to actionable strategies for policymakers and digital platforms on information integrity. Expected outcomes include a summary report that highlights key discussions and regulatory and technical strategies to inform future policies across stakeholder groups. The session seeks to present initiatives for collaboration in research, political organization, and technical partnerships to promote ongoing dialogue for strengthening information integrity globally.
Participants are expected to gain insights into the evolving information integrity landscape and its practical applications, focusing on the application of regulatory and technical solutions in varied contexts. The session will explore challenges and opportunities faced by the Global North and South, including debates on the topic's convergence across jurisdictions. It will provide diverse perspectives on integrating ethical standards and responsibilities into digital platforms to combat risks and harm, aimed at creating a healthier information ecosystem.
Hybrid Format: The workshop session will be divided into three parts: the first part will consist of speakers presenting their views and experiences. The second will consist of a short debate among the different perspectives raised by speakers. The last one will be devoted to Q&A. The session will count on onsite and online moderators. The onsite moderator will oversee the organization of interventions and engage with the speakers to ensure that the session's goals will be sought appropriately, also caring for safeguarding the due balance to meet diversity expectations within the interventions, either by the speakers or the audience. The online moderator will take care of the flow of questions within all the online tools involved in the session, while selecting, reading, and guaranteeing that the onsite moderator will be aware of questions and comments from the remote audience (Zoom Chat and Q&A).