Egypt Verification Day: UN calls for collective action to safeguard trust in digital spaces

As misinformation continues to challenge societies worldwide, the United Nations is intensifying efforts to promote information integrity, media literacy, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence—an agenda brought into focus at Egyptian Verification Day in Cairo.

Held on 29 March 2026 at the University of East London’s Cairo campus in cooperation with Arabi Facts Hub, the event explored how AI can be leveraged to verify news and curb the spread of false information across digital platforms.

The event drew a high-profile engagement of media leaders and public figures, including National Press Authority Deputy Chairman Alaa Thabet, Head of Egypt’s Press Syndicate Khaled El Balshy, alongside prominent editors, media professionals, academics, and civil society representatives. The United Nations Information Centre in Cairo (UNIC Cairo) participated in the discussions, spotlighting UN global perspective on combating misinformation and promoting information integrity.

Representing UNIC Cairo, Deputy Director Mohamed El Koossy underscored the scale of the challenge, noting that information is no longer just content to be shared, but “a powerful force shaping public perception, decision-making, and trust within societies.”

He stressed that the core issue today is not access, but discernment: “The real challenge is no longer access to information, but the ability to distinguish between what is accurate and what is misleading.”

A coordinated UN response

El Koossy highlighted that the UN’s response to misinformation is anchored in global frameworks, including the Secretary-General's Policy Brief on Information Integrity on Digital Platforms and the Global Principles for Information Integrity, which aim to enhance transparency, accountability, and trust in digital ecosystems.

He also pointed to the Global Digital Compact, a key outcome of the Summit of the Future, as a milestone in shaping global digital governance. The Compact addresses not only misinformation but also the risks of manipulated content and hate speech, recognizing how toxic narratives can undermine peace, public health, and social cohesion.

Lessons from the “infodemic”

Drawing on the COVID-19 experience, El Koossy recalled how the world faced what the UN described as an “infodemic”, where misleading information spread at unprecedented speed.

“The challenge was not only the presence of misinformation, but its enormous speed and the difficulty of distinguishing between reliable and unreliable sources,” he said, emphasizing how this environment complicated decision-making at critical moments and often amplified hate speech and discrimination.

This lesson continues to inform UN initiatives such as Verified, which promotes the dissemination of accurate, fact-based information and strengthens public resilience against misinformation and harmful narratives.

Putting people at the center

Despite the growing role of AI, UNIC Cairo Deputy Director emphasized that technology is only part of the solution. “Combating misinformation does not begin with technology alone—it begins with people,” he said, stressing that human judgment remains decisive.

He highlighted the UN’s work in Egypt to build media literacy and critical thinking skills, particularly among youth and journalists, through workshops and awareness initiatives that also address the dangers of hate speech and its corrosive impact on trust and social stability.

A shared responsibility

As discussions at Egyptian Verification Day made clear, combating misinformation requires coordinated action across sectors—from governments and media institutions to technology developers and civil society.

This concern was also raised at the Egypt Media Forum in November 2025, where UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications Melissa Fleming warned of the toxic information environment shaped by disinformation, hate speech, and AI-driven distortion, and pointed to the UN’s Global Principles for Information Integrity as a framework for rebuilding trust.

The ongoing debate in Egypt on journalism, digital governance, and information integrity highlights the need for all stakeholders—governments, media, civil society, and individuals—to work together to strengthen verification, counter hate speech, and safeguard trust, with the UN supporting collective efforts to ensure integrity remains central to the digital age.