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UNESCO supports the production and dissemination of a short documentary series to raise-awareness on how disinformation and hate speech target groups in situation of vulnerability in Colombia
“Tensions and violence can start from something as simple as the choice of words. Societies must work together to counter the proliferation of hate speech and disinformation narratives online if they wish to safeguard their democratic values”, said Indira Salazar, Programme Officer of Communication and Information Sector from UNESCO Quito Cluster Office. “This is why promoting peacebuilding online lies at the heart of the UNESCO’s efforts to combat harmful content.”
The phenomenon of disinformation, its proliferation within Colombian society, and its far-reaching consequences are the subject of a short series of documentaries produced by under the UNESCO project “” funded by the European Union.
The documentary series, encompassing 5 episodes on hate speech and disinformation, was launched during an event held on 28 September 2023 at the House of journalists in Bogotá, Colombia on the occasion of the International Day for Universal Access to Information. Along with the screening of the first episode, the event consisted of a panel discussion gathering the journalists Santiago Rivas and María Fitzgerald, academic researcher Diana Angulo, and the coordinator of the UNESCO project in Colombia, Emmanuel Vargas Penagos, who moderated the debate.
The event was opened by Jörg Schreiber, deputy Head of the European Union in Colombia, who emphasized the importance of joining forces to tackle disinformation as part of peacebuilding efforts among societies.
The documentary series also aims to amplify the voices of experts specializing in minority rights and freedom of expression in Colombia. It sheds light on the strategies used for the production and dissemination of disinformation and hate speech narratives targeting specific groups in situation of vulnerability, such as migrants and Afro-descendent and indigenous communities.
We talked with several experts in the field and individuals from communities stigmatized by disinformation campaigns. These false narratives are purposefully spread through social media to replicate and fuel discriminatory behaviours and attitudes.
The short documentary series is part of a wider campaign implemented by Rutas del Conflicto within the “Social Media 4 Peace” project spanning from August to November 2023. The series will be accessible through the Vimeo and YouTube accounts of Rutas del Conflicto.
Under the project “Social Media 4 Peace,” implemented in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kenya, and Indonesia, in addition to Colombia, UNESCO collaborates with several media outlets to raise awareness about harmful content online, in particular hate speech and disinformation, and enhance the promotion of positive and peacebuilding narratives. Moreover, the project supports the capacity-building of journalists to enhance conflict-sensitive reporting and data journalism, resulting in more than 250 media professionals trained across the beneficiary countries.
