A recent UNESCO survey reveals that the vast majority of digital content creators fail to verify the facts before publishing their work. Additionally, a news release from Unesco states that the report, titled “Behind the Screens,” was issued on Tuesday. It is the first global analysis of the motives, practices, and issues faced by digital content providers.
Involved were 500 influencers from 45 nations, as well as a devoted research team from Bowling Green State University in Ohio, US.
The report states that 62% of the digital content providers polled “admitted to not verifying the accuracy of information before sharing it with their audiences” when asked about the content they share with their audiences. One-third of them (33.5%) said they would share information without checking to see if they trusted the source or creator.
Also, before sharing their work, more than 36% of artists said they checked it. As the study pointed out, some of the people questioned understood the gravity of the situation and the need to avoid spreading false information. Content creators struggle to identify the appropriate criteria for evaluating the authenticity of information they obtain online, and fact-checking is not common, according to the survey. Nearly 42% of people who took the survey stated that likes and shares were the most important metrics for them.
While approximately 21% were willing to pass along content that had been shared with them “by friends they trusted,” 19% stated that they depended “on the reputation” of the information’s original creator or publisher. A further 17% indicated they relied on the proof and documents offered to back up the argument or assertion.
According to the survey, digital content makers might benefit greatly from journalists’ assistance in verifying the credibility of the information they share. Yet, the research revealed that cooperation and connections between these two communities are still very unusual.
The poll found that content makers relied on their own experiences, research, and interviews as their primary sources, with mainstream news media coming in at a distant third (36.0%).
Impact of Limited Awareness
The majority of digital content creators (59pc) were either unfamiliar with or had only heard of regulatory frameworks and worldwide standards relevant to digital communications, according to the Unesco poll.
Although 56.4% of respondents were aware of training programs tailored to their needs, the report found that only 13.9% actually took part in any of those programs.
Due to the general public’s ignorance, these digital artists were also the targets of judicial investigations, which led to prosecution and punishment in certain nations. A training program for digital content makers has been launched by Unesco, which claims to be the first of its kind in the world. The curriculum was designed with influencers in mind.
In addition to providing content creators with a firm foundation in international human rights norms on information and expression freedom, it sought to equip them to combat hate speech and disinformation.
Over nine thousand individuals from one hundred and sixty-five different nations are presently enrolled in the course, which began just last week and will continue for four weeks, according to the Unesco statement.
Digital content makers have become an integral part of the information ecosystem, reaching millions of people with cultural, social, and political news,” Unesco Director-General Audrey Azoulay stated when discussing the subject.
“But many are struggling in the face of disinformation and online hate speech and calling for more training. As part of its mandate for media and information literacy, Unesco will support them through the first-ever global training course.”
