Social media rollbacks opening ‘floodgates’ of hate: UN chief

AFP | New York

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Rollbacks on social media fact-checking and moderation safeguards are reopening the floodgates of hate, the UN chief warned yesterday, saying the poisonous atmosphere would lead to free speech shrinking.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said people would become increasingly fearful to engage on social media.

“As fast-moving technologies expand into every aspect of our lives, I am deeply concerned about human rights being undermined,” he told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Guterres said at best, social media was a meeting ground for people to exchange ideas in respectful debate, but at worst, it could be an arena for combat and “blatant ignorance”.

“A place where the poisons of misinformation, disinformation, racism, misogyny and hate speech are not only tolerated -- but often encouraged.”