Working Group on Pluralism of Information in Curation and Indexation Algorithms
Per the Reuters Institute’s Digital News Report 2022, depending on the country, between 32% and 82% of people access news through social media. This growing trend has allowed tech companies to shape choices and norms for communication and ultimately structure the information and communication space.
Evidence has shown that the opacity surrounding tech companies’ management and valorisation has led to increasing harm to public debate, amplifying violent content and conspiracy theories, while struggling to promote diversity of ideas and information and favor media pluralism.
There is a pressing need to implement new safeguards to guarantee pluralism of information online.
Report
On the occasion of UNESCO’s conference on “Internet for Trust” held on 21 February 2023, the Forum on Information and Democracy published the report of the working group on “Pluralism of News and Information in Curation and Indexing Algorithms” for the attention of States and digital platforms.
Scope
The working group will conduct research and gather input from global experts to:
Personal data protection and privacy
Provide recommendations to strengthen existing and upcoming personal data protection and privacy regulation in the context of curation and indexation algorithms.
Pluralism of news and information
Provide recommendations to improve pluralism of news and information and allow freedom of choice for users.
STEERING COMMITTEE
Chair
Pier Luigi Parcu
ITALY
Director of the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom at the European University Institute
Members
William Bird
SOUTH AFRICA
Director of Media Monitoring Africa
Taina Bucher
NORWAY
Associate professor in media studies at the University of Oslo. Writer of the book IF….THEN: Algorithmic power and politics
Patrícia Campos Mello
BRAZIL
Journalist, Folha de S.Paulo
Dominique Cardon
FRANCE
Director of MediaLab, SciencesPo
Luis Fernando García
MEXICO
Director, R3D
Anita Gurumurthy
INDIA
Executive Director and Senior Fellow, IT for Change
Stefan Heumann
GERMANY
Director, Stiftung Neue Verantwortung
Angela Phillips
UNITED-KINGDOM
Emeritus Professor, media and communications, Goldsmiths, University of London