IPRA Calls on UN to Curb Misinformation from AI and Social Media
The International Public Relations Association (IPRA) has successfully submitted a formal statement to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) ahead of the 2025 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), emphasizing the critical role of trusted communication in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The statement, approved by the IPRA Board, has been officially accepted and included in the UN’s formal record for the event.
IPRA Secretary General Philip Sheppard confirmed the development in a statement to Spokespersons Digest, noting that the acceptance marks a significant recognition of the association’s advocacy on the global stage.
In its written submission, IPRA warned of growing threats to effective communication posed by misinformation and unregulated artificial intelligence, arguing that without decisive action, the SDGs risk being undermined.
“The importance of trusted communication channels to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals cannot be overstated,” the statement began, adding that the association welcomes the 2025 ECOSOC High-Level Segment theme: “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for leaving no one behind.”
Quoting renowned naturalist David Attenborough—who stated in 2020 that “saving the planet is now a communications issue”—IPRA stressed that while the tools to advance the SDGs exist, their effectiveness depends on persuading stakeholders to act and invest.
However, IPRA cautioned that communication itself is under threat. “There is a global threat to the necessary communication to achieve the SDGs. The threat is corruption of communication by fake news and Artificial Intelligence. We must stop fake news and regulate Artificial Intelligence,” the statement read.
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According to IPRA, fake news thrives on social media due to two key factors: it is free of cost and free of responsibility. This dynamic enables the spread of falsehoods by anonymous users and bots, creating an overwhelming volume of misleading content. The situation is further worsened by AI technologies that multiply and amplify misinformation, often trained on contaminated data from the internet.
To address these challenges, IPRA proposed two bold solutions:
1. Trusted Social Media: Introducing a nominal annual fee—such as $1—for every social media account would reduce fake and anonymous accounts by enforcing traceability and discouraging the mass creation of bots.
2. Trusted Artificial Intelligence: IPRA endorsed the 2021 UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, which is anchored on four principles: respect for human rights and dignity, fostering a peaceful and inclusive society, ensuring diversity, and protecting the environment.
The association called on governments and communicators to:
Upskill: Invest in continuous education and ethical training to keep pace with evolving AI technologies.
Regulate: Enact legal frameworks ensuring human control over AI-generated content used in public communication.
“The UN will fail to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals unless member states restore trust in communication with laws mandating paid-for social media and regulation of Artificial Intelligence,” the statement warned.
The 2025 HLPF is convening under the theme “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science-and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” and serves as the UN’s primary platform for reviewing SDG implementation and guiding political commitments.
Commenting on the inclusion of IPRA’s submission, Jim McQueeny, IPRA’s Permanent Representative to the UN, said: “This inclusion is not an insignificant accomplishment. It showcases the credibility of IPRA at the UN and our continued work to promote the SDGs. We at IPRA’s UN bureau want to thank the stewardship of IPRA’s Secretary General, as well as the thoughts of IPRA members who contributed to this important statement.”
The full statement, along with others accepted by ECOSOC, is available on the official United Nations Economic and Social Council website.
By PRNigeria
