Lessons from the United Nations communication frontline

United Nations communications leader Melissa Fleming spoke about the role of public relations in countering false narratives, inspiring compassion and enabling positive change during the 2023 Maggie Nally Lecture.

In an age fraught with misinformation and disinformation, we need trusted sources of information more than ever.

At the CIPR International Maggie Nally Lecture this week, United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications Melissa Fleming provided insights into communicating accurately and effectively in the digital age.

Ms Fleming described our “poisoned” and “toxic” information ecosystem, flooded with conspiracy theories and hate speech. Just 13% of citizens globally have access to a free press, most get their news from social media platforms which prioritise engagement over accuracy. Two billion citizens will participate in elections next year without access to trusted media.

“Surveys reveal many now avoid the news altogether due to gloom and doom, causing democracy to falter as corruption and ignorance thrive,” she Ms Fleming.

She remains convinced that public relations professionals can positively change the world with facts and aspirational messaging. The antidote to misinformation is authoritative, trusted information and inspiring calls to action.

Ms Fleming shared lessons learned throughout her career countering propaganda and false narratives.

“Statistics are human beings with the tears wiped off',” she said.

After the 2015 refugee crisis in Europe soured due to fearmongering, Ms Fleming found power in refugees’ individual stories. Her book, A Hope More Powerful than the Sea, tells the story of a Syrian refugee’s harrowing journey. She aimed to humanise the crisis through first-person storytelling.

The UN has used social media to communicate with citizens worldwide, but as disinformation actors have mastered algorithms, communication has grown harder. Ms Fleming described personal encounters with health misinformation and how Facebook fuelled genocide against Myanmar’s Rohingya people.

“Social media is now weaponised in wars to dehumanise groups and spread atrocities. Even UN peacekeepers and staff face security threats from online disinformation campaigns,” said Ms Fleming.

Climate activists are demonised as extremists, while the fossil fuel industry uses propaganda to confuse the public. Yet most people believe climate change is real. Authoritative organisations like the UN must provide reliable climate information to counter false narratives.

Ms Fleming warned of sophisticated “deep fakes” and AI-generated propaganda. The UN leadership insists social media platforms must deliver on promises and face regulations. It is developing a code of conduct on information integrity for digital platforms.

Public relations practitioners must stop enabling unethical causes and interests that hurt the planet and society. Instead of shielding the fossil fuel industry, we must avert climate disaster through our work.

Ms Fleming urged the industry to join the UN in communicating accurately to create a more humane internet and just world. She urged public relations practitioners to spread facts over falsehoods.

“With compassion and creativity, we can inspire care and change. Now more than ever, the world needs communications professionals committed to truth, empathy and the greater good,” she said.

CIPR President Steve Shepperson-Smith awarded Ms Fleming the 2023 President's Medal.