ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday warned that the rapid spread of disinformation, hate speech and Islamophobia across digital platforms was eroding public trust and fueling real-world harm, calling for a coordinated global response at the United Nations.
Speaking at the 48th session of the UN Committee on Information, Pakistan’s Deputy Permanent Representative, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, said technological advances were enabling both wider access to information and its manipulation at scale.
“The global information landscape is undergoing profound transformation,” he said. “While technological advances have democratized access to information, they have also enabled the rapid spread of disinformation, misinformation and hate speech at an unprecedented scale.”
Jadoon said these trends were undermining “public trust, social cohesion, and the credibility of multilateral institutions, including the UN,” at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions and polarization.
“We remain deeply concerned at the misuse of digital platforms to amplify falsehoods, deepen polarization, and target vulnerable communities,” he told the committee. “The persistence of hate speech, racism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia in digital spaces is particularly alarming, often translating into real-world harm.”
The Pakistani envoy also warned that disinformation was increasingly being deployed in conflict settings to shape narratives and obscure realities on the ground.
“Equally concerning is the use of disinformation in situations of foreign occupation and conflict,” he said. “False narratives are deployed to obscure human rights violations, demonize lawful struggles for self-determination, and silence affected populations.”
Jadoon highlighted the added risks posed by emerging technologies, saying the rise of artificial intelligence and generative tools had introduced “a new layer of complexity” to the challenge of safeguarding information integrity.
“Our collective response must be comprehensive and balanced,” he said, urging respect for diverse cultural and legal contexts while strengthening global cooperation.
He called for a more coordinated role for the UN’s Department of Global Communications, as well as structured engagement with major technology companies that shape global information flows.
“At a time when confidence in international institutions is under strain, the United Nations must reinforce its position as a trusted source of verified and balanced information,” he added.
The Pakistani envoy also reaffirmed his country’s commitment to working with the UN and member states to promote “an information environment that is truthful, inclusive, and respectful of human dignity.”
