New initiative launched to shield terrorism victims from online harm
The United Nations has launched an initiative to protect victims of terrorism from online harm and the spread of misinformation. The program aims to support survivors by addressing the digital re-traumatization caused by fake content and propaganda.
Why it matters
As digital platforms become primary spaces for information, protecting the dignity and mental health of victims of global violence is an emerging human rights priority.
The UN has launched a new initiative to protect victims of terrorist attacks from online harm and re-traumatisation, drawing on harrowing survivor accounts, from the Nova Music Festival in Israel to an attack on a FIFA World Cup final viewing party in Uganda.
The initiative was launched at an event on Friday marking the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism.
“It's not just another date on the calendar ,” Saynab Warsame, who survived a terrorist attack in Somalia, said in a message to the UN commemorative event . “It's a day that reminds me of who I lost, who I am and who I am still becoming.”
Acts of terrorism kill and maim thousands of people every year around the world, and online harm has been reported by survivors in every region.
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