Webinar Series on Information Integrity Kicks Off with Focus on ‘Human Rights Online’

TED Working Group 3 held the webinar “Information Integrity: Protecting and Promoting Human Rights Online” on November 27, marking the first installment of a webinar series focusing on the evolving concept of information integrity, its links to human rights, and actionable strategies to address systemic gaps. The webinar was co-hosted by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Global Partners Digital, and the Danish Institute for Human Rights.

Maria Paz Canales of Global Partners Digital presented on the UN Global Principles for Information Integrity, which are embedded in the UN’s Global Digital Compact and backed by the UN Secretary-General. In practical terms, the principles have several implications. For example, in elections, they ensure access to reliable and rights-based information; for socio-economic rights, they ensure health and climate information depend on integrity; and for conflict-affected and marginalized communities, they promote non-discrimination and safety. A critical, cross-cutting aspect on which all principles depend is the reliability of information. However, key challenges persist, including fragmented regulatory approaches, the lack of universal definitions, the need for proportionality in addressing disinformation without restricting freedom of expression, and business model incentives driving disinformation.

To address these challenges, Maria Paz Canales highlighted the following recommendations:

• Establish multi-stakeholder commitments involving states, the tech sector, academia, and civil society.
• Enhance transparency, research, and accountability in the digital ecosystem.
• Explore emerging areas such as AI governance and data-driven models.

Line Rasmussen of the Danish Institute for Human Rights provided expert input on taking a human rights-based approach. This approach emphasizes two key areas: policy coherence and human rights due diligence in the digital space. Line underlined the importance of good governance norms, particularly in relation to businesses and empowerment through digital literacy. Given the cross-border nature of these challenges, a multi-stakeholder approach is essential. Line also introduced the Digital Rights Check tool, developed together with GIZ, which helps assess digital-for-development projects. The tool evaluates different phases of a project, key stakeholders, including marginalized groups, the project context, digital tools, and follow-up measures.

During the question-and-answer session, a representative of the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ireland noted the significant interest in this topic within IrishAid. Representatives of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and co-chairing Working Group 2 encouraged collaboration between the two working groups, recognizing their interconnected themes.

In closing the session, Mia Steninge highlighted Denmark’s Digital Democracy Initiative and its strong support for advancing information integrity. The next installment of the webinar series will take place in early 2025.