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international

capacity appear to be limited. First of all,
most of these were primarily vehicles of
information. TV was not interactive vis-à-vis
large audiences in the past, neither was radio.
Interaction, sure, was possible for people
involved in a radio or TV broadcast, but on a
limited scale. Letters to the editor were also a
possibility for printed media. But still, it was BG at UN Bazaar 2023
not a mass phenomenon that would allow
an individual person to influence thousands
or tens of thousands by writing a letter to
the editor of a respected newspaper, or by
participating in broadcasts, be it radio or TV.

In the past, media in pluralist democratic
societies were expected to follow certain facts
verification criteria, but today individuals
involved in this kind of global network of
information and opinion exchange are not Exhibition of
subject to these standards. So, this of course BG traditional
creates significant challenges and a real risk crafts at WIPO
of disinformation being spread very easily celebrating St
without possibilities to verify it and at the Cyril and St
same time influencing not tens of thousands Methodius Day
but tens of millions of people around the
world one way or another.
opportunities. It creates the possibility of
This, of course, constitutes a challenge processing information multiple times faster
which needs to be addressed because it may than in the past. So, you can get a synthesis of
very easily transform a person or a group of information from thousands of sources within
persons into a target of public ostracism or a couple of minutes. On the other hand, it also
even aggression. We have witnessed this in the may be used to generate disinformation and
past. This is one side of the problem. The other disseminate it around the globe many times
is that this phenomenon endangers gravely the faster than up to now.
freedom of opinion and expression in many
parts of the world, for it may be used by non- Without standards and procedures which
democratic regimes as a pretext to crack down would allow verification of who or what is at
on free media, on freedom of expression. And the origin of certain information, how can this
this is also a real risk, it is actually happening: information, or alleged facts or circumstances
alleged security concerns and the declared be checked?
need to act against disinformation are being Without this, the risk of massive spread of
used as a pretext for repressions on dissenting disinformation would be huge. But again,
opinion that is not to the like of those in power. artificial intelligence may be used also for
We are pretty conscious about all this, and we verification of facts and allegations. As I
believe it is important to raise awareness about mentioned, it depends on how it is used, and
these dangers and find appropriate means of on whether the international community
addressing them, including through the action is capable of agreeing on a set of standards
in and by the Human Rights Council. and the necessary minimum of regulations
providing for the requisite level of verification
What about artificial intelligence? and tracking of the information’s origin:
Artificial intelligence exacerbates further I believe if this is achieved, it would be a
these risks while it may also offer new huge development which would contribute

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