Working papers
UNESCO’s approach was rigorous, evidence-based and informed by eight decades of multilateral policymaking in the area of freedom of expression and in the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions. Thus, UNESCO commissioned studies, that served as a groundwork of knowledge to the conceptualization of the Guidelines and for facilitating public engagement:
, reviewed more than 800 academic, civil society, journalistic, and corporate documents to produce the policy brief "". &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
°Õ³ó±ð  provided insights into the perspectives of whistleblowers and tech journalists related to digital platform regulation.
°Õ³ó±ð  prepared an analysis of international law standards, entitled " ",  that were relevant to the issue of regulating platforms, with a focus on the implications of freedom of expression given the unique way they disseminate information. The research also included a comparative analysis of how the European Union and different States have sought to regulate platforms.
A survey on the impact of online disinformation and hate speech conducted by for UNESCO in 2023 interviewed over 8,000 respondents across 16 countries where elections will be held in 2024. It shows that 85% of citizens are worried about the impact of online disinformation, at a time when social media platforms have become the primary source of information for a large majority of them. The same survey indicates that 87% of citizens believe that this misinformation has already had a major impact on their country's political life and fear that it will influence the results of their country's elections in the next year. As a result, 88% are calling on governments and regulators to resolve this problem quickly by regulating social media.