Tackling the use of social media to promote extremist ideologies.

Conference observes that social media platforms have become an integral part of our daily lives offering unprecedented opportunities for communication, knowledge sharing, and social connection.

Conference considers that social media platforms also pose significant risks including, most alarmingly, the exponential rise in the use of social media to propagate extremist ideologies. 

Conference notes with concern how extremist individuals and groups have skilfully exploited these platforms to recruit members, spread disinformation, and incite hatred and violence.   

Conference firmly believes that:

• educating people on how to navigate social media responsibly is essential to countering the spread of extremist ideologies;
• fostering digital literacy, critical thinking, and media awareness can empower individuals to identify and reject extremist content; and
• a well-informed and digitally literate population is better equipped to contribute to a peaceful, tolerant, and resilient society.

Conference calls on the ICTU to:

1. Respond with urgency to challenge the increasing exploitation of social media platform by extremist groups;
2. Lobby for tighter regulation, transparency and accountability for social media platforms and websites that enable extremist content;
3. Advocate for social media platforms to implement and promote educational tools that help users identify and report extremist content, while also protecting freedom of expression;
4. Urge governments, educational institutions, and social media companies to collaborate in developing comprehensive educational programmes that focus on digital literacy, critical thinking, and the dangers of online extremism;
5. Lobby for funding and training to enable schools to educate young people on how to navigate social media and extremist content;
6. Promote public awareness campaigns that highlight the risks associated with online extremism and provide practical guidance on how to navigate social media safely and responsibly; and
7. Support research initiatives aimed at understanding the psychological, social, and technological factors that contribute to the spread of extremism online, in order to inform more effective educational strategies.