The Secretary General of the United Nations (UN), António Guterres, said on Wednesday that white supremacist neo-Nazi movements now represent the main threat to internal security in several countries and warned of online radicalization.
At a UN Security Council meeting to discuss the impact of intolerance, hate speech, racism and other manifestations of extremism on peacebuilding, Guterres focused on the issue of hate, particularly online, that “contributes to horrific cycles of violence that can last for decades.” “.
“Throughout the world we are witnessing a wave of xenophobia, racism and intolerance, violent misogyny, anti-Muslim hatred, virulent anti-Semitism and attacks on minority Christian communities, the fastest growing,” he said.
Admitting that this is not a recent problem, the UN leader stressed that the speed with which it spreads and its scope are worrying, weaving harsh criticism of social networks, which he accused of “providing hate propagators with of a global megaphone”.
“Today, no conspiracy is too outrageous to find a wide audience; no falsehood is too absurd to fuel an online frenzy. Unverified claims or outright lies can gain instant credibility, just like facts and science. They are often accepted – and even promoted – by political leaders,” he stressed.
According to the former Portuguese prime minister, the effects of hate are “deadly”, citing the attacks on a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, or a synagogue in Pittsburgh and a church in Charleston, in the United States, as examples. in which all the perpetrators radicalized ‘online’.
The United Nations itself is not immune to this threat, Guterres defended, noting that last year a survey of UN peacekeepers showed that 75% see disinformation as a direct threat to their safety and security.
Source: TSF
