Human Rights and Social Media: Challenges and Opportunities for Human Rights Education

Social media and freedom of expression are intentionally ambiguous terms. Their meaning and scope change along with societies and the technologies they use. It is primarily for this reason that disinformation is a growing challenge faced by all forms of social media and its users. The fine line between freedom of expression and political propaganda raises increasing concerns during international unrest and hybrid threats. States and businesses strive to address this challenge promptly and effectively. Yet, the dogmatic distinction between free expression and journalistic due care must be made aware of the myriad new media channels and evolving means of communication. In 2022, the European Union proposed the Code of Practice on Disinformation (European Commission, 2022)—a nonbinding set of practical guidelines to support social media platforms to eliminate harmful online communications.