UNESCO Launches Initiative for the Development of Recommendations for Digital Platform Regulation in Ukraine

On September 11, NGO Internews Ukraine, in partnership with IMS (International Media Support), UNESCO, and with support from Japan, unveiled the SHIELD project: Strengthening Honesty, Integrity, and Ethics for Legitimate Discourse. This initiative focuses on developing key policies based on UNESCO's Guidelines for the Governance of Digital Platforms (2023).

As part of the SHIELD project, an expert group is poised to create two primary documents:

A Guide for Risk Management in the context of emergencies, armed conflicts, and crises.
A case study examining how human rights are upheld during a full-scale invasion by companies operating in Ukraine.

"UNESCO has established global guidelines for digital platform management. Now, through the SHIELD project, these recommendations will be adapted and discussed within the Ukrainian context," explained Diana Moshkovska, a specialist in freedom of expression, access to information, and journalist safety at UNESCO Ukraine.

The expert group includes 14 representatives of the state institutions, NGOs, and the media, including:

Oleksandr Burmahin, Member of the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine;
Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, Head of the Verkhovna Rada Freedom of Speech Committee;
Liza Kuzmenko, Head of the NGO Women in Media and Coalition for Gender Equality in Media;
Ihor Rozkladay, Deputy Director of Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law (CEDEM).

Yaroslav Yurchyshyn emphasized the importance of aligning Ukraine's reality with social media platforms' priorities, noting that it's crucial to demonstrate to platform owners that responsible social media regulation serves both their interests and that of our security.

Nynne Storm Refsing, IMS Technical Advisor, expressed optimism that the project's outcomes will not only benefit Ukraine but also provide valuable insights for other countries facing armed conflict.

The launch event also featured a panel discussion, How Can Ukraine Maintain Information Integrity, with participants such as:

Pavlo Belousov, digital security expert at Internews Ukraine. 
Oleksandr Burmahin, Member of the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine.
Andrii Myroshnichenko, Independent expert, ex-adviser to the Minister of Defence of Ukraine.
Oksana Moroz, Founder of the information hygiene initiative "How not to become a vegetable".
Ihor Rozkladay, Deputy Director of CEDEM.

Moderated by Andrii Kulakov, Program Director at Internews Ukraine, the panel explored challenges faced by both media and social media users, as well as potential avenues for regulating digital platforms.

Ihor Rozkladay highlighted the need for long-term strategies, suggesting, "We must build an infrastructure for the long game, teaching society to 'wash its digital hands' to navigate a rapidly evolving environment." Oksana Moroz advocated for a regulatory model akin to traffic rules, proposing content labeling on social media and user education systems.

Summarizing the discussion, Andrii Kulakov underscored the need for a regulatory approach that balances responsibility and accountability, suggesting cooperation with platforms to enhance media literacy through gamified educational tools for users.

The project is implemented by IMS (International Media Support) and NGO Internews Ukraine in partnership with UNESCO and with support from Japan. The project builds on UNESCO's Guidelines for the Governance of Digital Platforms | UNESCO from 2023.