United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and several world leaders just signed a new censorship declaration during the Cascais Declaration at the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) 10th Global Forum in Portugal from Nov. 25-27.

The Cascais Declaration indicated that those who signed it are “alarmed” at what is described as a global spread, online and offline, of “disinformation, misinformation and hate speech.”

The signatories would also want these to be targeted while strengthening “information integrity.” The document did not indicate what this means or how the group is planning to act on it. Another controversial UN scheme called the Pact for the Future was also mentioned in the paper.

“Take note of the adoption of the Pact for the Future which recognizes the role of reinvigorated multilateralism and the importance of the voice of religious leaders and faith-based organizations in promoting a culture of peace,” the declaration stated.

However, critics of the Pact speculate that this is just another mechanism that would pave the way to more censorship and surveillance.

There was even a mention of “monitoring antisemitism,” but also “combating Islamophobia,” which the declaration indicated a special UN envoy would be deployed to deal with the task.

“Taking note of the designation of the High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations as the United Nations Focal Point to Monitor antisemitism and Enhance a system-wide response in 2020, as well as the request contained in General Assembly Resolution 78/264 on ‘Measures to Combat Islamophobia’ to appoint a United Nations Special Envoy to combat Islamophobia,” it included.

Guterres reiterates commitment to CENSOR online content

Meanwhile, Guterres, who also spoke during the event, reiterated his commitment to censoring online speech, bringing up the usual set of “arguments” in favor of moving in this direction. (Related: UN declares war on FREE SPEECH to censor the TRUTH, subvert accountability, control populations.)

“In every corner of the world, we see the social fabric under serious strain,” he said in front of 1,800 participants, including the President of the Portuguese Republic Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and the King of Spain, Felipe VI.

He added that the escalation of conflicts, increase in social tensions and spread of hate speech are just some of the manifestations of the crisis of confidence that affects human and international relations.

He also tackled “unchecked digital platforms and artificial intelligence (AI),” accusing them of allowing “hate speech to proliferate like never before.” He also criticized “misinformation and deepfakes,” which is now rampant in any medium.

The UN chief wants Big Tech, advertisers and media – that is, along with some governments and organizations like the UN, among the most egregious offenders when it comes to online censorship – to double down.

For a “more humane information ecosystem,” he put forward an initiative that introduces algorithmic censorship and demonetization. This principle reportedly follows the “anti-misinformation and hate speech” scope under the UN’s Global Principles for Information Integrity, which aims to guarantee a more ethical information ecosystem that respects human rights.

Elsewhere during his talk, Guterres called for collective action to restore peace, solidarity and trust in the multilateral system.

“The absence of peace is leading to an erosion of trust in international institutions and societies,” he said. “Trust has become an increasingly scarce resource in a globalized world, where information circulates with unprecedented speed through social networks. Hate speech, amplified by digital platforms, undermines relationships between people and communities, exacerbating divisions and creating a sense of insecurity.”

He further insisted that the growing xenophobia, racism and intolerance fueled by disinformation are, “old tactics with a new medium.”

He also pointed to social networks in spreading stereotypes and hate speech and highlighted the importance of effective regulation to combat this digital epidemic. For him, the solution is the implementation of initiatives such as the United Nations Global Principles for Information Integrity.

Guterres also appealed for peace in Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon and Sudan. He said that he wants just peace based on the Charter of the United Nations, international law and the resolutions of the General Assembly.

He also called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages and the beginning of a process that leads to a two-state solution in Gaza.

Read more stories about government measures that implement censorship and surveillance on Censorship.news.

Sources for this article include:

ReclaimTheNet.org

Docs.ReclaimTheNet.org

UNRIC.org