HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE DIGITAL ERA: TACKLING MISINFORMATION IN THE DIGITAL AGE
Jinnaram Sneha
Padala Rama Reddi Law College
INTRODUCTION:
On the marked date of 10th December, Human Rights Day is celebrated worldwide. In 1948, the UNGA (United Nations General Assembly) adopted the UDHR (Universal Declaration of Human Rights), which offers protection to all people in all countries to safeguard, fortify, and nurture human rights. The UDHR is a foundational document in which a total of 30 articles comprehends social, cultural, economic, civil, and political rights that are intrinsically inherited by all men, women, children, minorities, and vulnerable groups regardless of their gender, race, color, nationality, creed, region, religion, language, and ethnicity without any discrimination. Human rights are universal; they are inalienable, indispensable, and protected by law and cannot be transferred. Human rights include the right to life, liberty, privacy, and security of individuals. It proclaims the right against torture, slavery, and cruel treatment and vouchsafes the right to freedom of speech, thought, expression, and many more. In contemporary days, the usage of digital technology, social media, and the internet has proliferated like wildfire. All these play an imperative role in our quotidian existence and metamorphose the way we access data/information, communicate, and interact with each other. Digital technology has become an indispensable tool and ameliorated people’s lives. While it has copious merits like this, however, it also erected an environment where some camouflaged threats and risks contain one of them, which is the expeditious outspread of misinformation reaching the wider audience in new and often insidious ways. It attracts extensive public heed, which leads to hazardous consequences like people doubting the authentic source of information; it may create fear and confusion among people
UNDERSTANDING HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE DIGITAL ERA:
The foremost thing in the 21st century is the protection of human rights. As digital technology continues to proceed at an unforeseeable pace, the desideratum to safeguard these rights becomes more and more imperative. Human rights are also secured in a series of treaties, such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). In the digital era, human rights, viz., freedom of speech and expression (2011 General Comment on Article 19 and Article 19(2) ICCPR), the right to privacy (Article 17 of ICCPR), and access to information are requisite in ensuring that an individual can navigate in the digital landscape without any fear of surveillance and censorship. Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of human rights; however, its approach in the digital world is intricate due to the emanating social media platforms. When people talk about anything fallacious, with a click button, this misinformation effortlessly reaches millions within seconds, which leads to the risk of undermining public trust and distorting reality. Individuals have the right to express themselves online, but this freedom must be balanced with responsibility to preserve others from harm.
THE RISE OF MISINFORMATION:
The upsurge of misinformation is a significant concern in the digital era, where information is at our fingertips and it is promulgating expeditiously, widely, and unchecked, in which distinguishing between falsehood and credible sources of information becomes challenging for individuals. The pernicious repercussion of inaccurate and misleading information has been brought to the fore during the COVID-19 pandemic regarding the virus and vaccine, which was circulated widely on social media. It not only endangered public health but also led to enlarged vaccine hesitancy and suspicion about health guidelines. Misinformation is reaching an alarming level, undermining trust. Numerous survey reports indicate a rise in misinformation. A few of them are: A survey conducted by #Pew Research Centre found that 64% of U.S. adults believe that misinformation and fabrication are major challenges; it causes a great deal of confusion on basic facts, and a new study by three MIT scholars has found that false news stories are 70 percent more likely to be retweeted than true stories are. The upshot of misinformation can be acute, ranging from the dissolution of trust in the institution to the manipulation of public opinion.
MISINFORMATION IMPACT ON HUMAN RIGHTS:
Misinformation itself threatens to produce core breaches in human rights, one of the essential pillars behind tackling misinformation is to protect human rights because both are interrelated. It can often lead to hazardous consequences such as the spread of hate speech, violence, discrimination, and the erosion of trust in institutions, and combating this issue prevents all of these.
TACKLING MISINFORMATION:
Combating misinformation issues is a crucial thing not only to safeguard human rights; to aegis individuals’ right to express themselves freely and access reliable information, and to save ourselves because in this digitalized era our perceptions and beliefs are built based on what we see on the internet/social media. People can use various new resources rather than sticking to one outlet to know the accurate information. Misinformation poses significant risks to various human rights, including access to information (threat to access accurate and reliable information) and the right to privacy (threat to privacy/no digital security for individuals). There should be transparency in data collection consent of the individual and freedom of expression. It is essential to disseminate this issue.
To effectively tackle the challenges posed by misinformation, here are a few strategies:
Implement and develop media literacy: It is pivotal in the fight against misinformation. By promoting media literacy, we can cultivate the critical thinking ability of the individual. By this, they can distinguish between misleading information and authentic information.
The onus of companies: Social media companies play a vital role and should take some responsibility in addressing this issue by monitoring and managing content posted on their sites by the users. They shall be transparent regarding implementing algorithms that prioritize accurate information and content moderation practices like removing inaccurate content and collaborating with fact-checking units. It can diminish the spread of misinformation and provide users with insights into how their content is being suppressed.
Fact-checking units: When misinformation obscures the truth and readers do not know what to trust. The Fact Check Unit succeeds in dissipating rumors, myths, and spurious claims and provides impeccable, accurate, and reliable information to the public. Fact-checking initiatives are pivotal tools for fighting against misinformation from digital and social media platforms. When you read (or) consume any information through news online, make sure to probe and know how trustworthy the source is—or whether it is not trustworthy at all. People can evaluate the accuracy of the information by using resources such as Snopes, FactCheck.org, PolitiFact, and PIB (Press Information Bureau) Fact Check Unit {which was established in 2019 by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), under the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961}. Fact-checking units devote their endeavors to monitoring factual accuracy and focus on dispelling claims that are false or misleading. Social media platforms must commence collaborating with this kind of fact-checking unit and should use fact-checking mechanisms to detach false content and verify the accuracy of information.
Educating individuals: Schools and organizations can teach the people in schools/colleges and conduct awareness programs regarding how to identify misinformation and recognize reliable sources. It is significant to make children aware early because they are growing up in the digital age. What people encounter online and come across on the internet has a tremendous effect on their perspective, and it plays a pivotal role and may influence their overall well-being. Helping children by incorporating digital literacy in educational curricula and critical thinking skills can assist in ceasing the spread of misinformation. It is crucial for them to be aware of this issue and to know how to spot false and fabricated information.
Role of the Government: The government plays a crucial role in tackling misinformation. By collaborating with civil societies, technology companies, etc., encouraging transparency in the digital landscape, and supporting public awareness campaigns that inform citizens about the dangers of misinformation. The government can establish clear regulations that make the companies accountable and implement policies that require platforms to take proactive measures against misinformation while ensuring that these measures do not infringe upon freedom of expression. Public officials also have an imperative role in this in that they will not encourage and make misleading information, and the government must ensure that reliable, accessible, testimony-based, authentic, and trustworthy information is provided through public service media.
CONCLUSION:
In this evolving digital landscape, the rapid spread of misinformation has tremendous implications for human rights, like the right to privacy, freedom of expression, and the right to access information. Building a digital ecosystem that respects and recognizes the rights of people is crucial.
As society is becoming increasingly digital, it is essential to recognize the insidious nature of misinformation, protect human rights, develop effective strategies, and uphold the values of equality, justice, and human dignity. The onus not only falls on individuals but also requires collective efforts from individuals, organizations, companies, and governments where accurate information can thrive. By fostering media literacy, which cultivates critical thinking ability, fact-check units that verify the accuracy of information, education that will make people aware, and encouraging responsibility and collaboration among technology companies, government, and fact-check units. Fighting this issue is complex and ongoing; thoughtful and collective efforts are required to address this issue, ensuring a more informed and engaged society.
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