Riyadh, December 17, 2024: The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) has issued a joint statement on the 'Misinformation and the Role of Social Media Platforms' to address ethical and privacy challenges, in line with DCO's commitment to improving trust online and enable digital prosperity for all. Through the joint statement, Member States called for the implementation of measures to protect users from harmful content and foster responsible digital engagement. They highlighted ethical challenges that have emerged in social media, including issues of transparency, accountability, and authenticity.

To address these challenges, the DCO Member States announced a multi-stakeholder strategic initiative encouraging private sector participation to promote Online Content Integrity. First introduced during the 3rd General Assembly of the DCO in February 2024, and championed by the State of Kuwait, the Online Content Integrity initiative seeks to address challenges posed by misinformation on social media and streaming platforms.

Deemah AlYahya, Secretary-General of the DCO, announced the Joint Statement during a keynote speech titled 'Enhancing Digital Trust: DCO's Commitment to a Trusted Space' following the opening ceremony of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Riyadh. She said: 'Misinformation is no longer a marginal issue. It is a terrifying digital pandemic, requiring urgent, united action. This year, to strengthen the international community's response to the menace of misinformation, the DCO and its Members have joined forces to present the Joint Misinformation Statement. This statement is a collective call to action, emphasizing shared responsibility, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and the need to prioritize ethical standards when addressing misinformation. It lays the groundwork for governments, private sector entities, and civil society to join forces in combatting this growing threat.'

The initiative aims to advocate for the respect of social and cultural diversity, while combating online misinformation, by mediating between companies, governments, and other relevant stakeholders such as international organizations and civil society. Implementation of the Online Content Integrity initiative will be overseen by a high-level DCO committee at the ministerial level. DCO's Member States through the joint statement furthermore reaffirmed their commitment to advocating the establishment of an inclusive, transparent, and secure digital economy.

The DCO also organized a high-level panel titled 'Countering Misinformation: Collaboration to Build a Digital Future' during the IGF to discuss the implications of combatting misinformation and the implementation of the Joint Statement. Participants who joined Deemah AlYahya the DCO Secretary-General, in the panel included H.E Dr. Esam AlWagait the Director of the National Center of Information in Saudi Arabia, H.E Mohamed AlQaed the CEO of the Information & eGovernment Authority in Bahrain, and Khaled Mansour the Board Member of the Oversight Board in Meta, and Natalia Gherman, the Executive Director of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate.