Governments of Spain, France and the United Kingdom call for countering the spread of gender disinformation

Technology companies are urged to take “appropriate measures” to respond to this “threat”

September 25 () –

The Global Alliance for Action against Online Gender-Based Harassment and Abuse, comprising the governments of Australia, Chile, Denmark, France, Iceland, the Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, has called for countering the spread of gender-based misinformation and addressing all forms of technology-facilitated gender-based violence against women in political and public life.

“Gender disinformation is a threat to societies that uphold peaceful and democratic values,” the Alliance member countries said in a joint statement. They also denounced that “malign actors are using false or misleading narratives based on gender and sex in campaigns to discourage and discredit the participation of women, girls and LGBTQI+ people in political and public life.”

The Alliance recalls that in its 2023 Roadmap it has committed to promoting meaningful participation in public life for women and girls, in all their diversity, countering gender-based violence facilitated by technology and gender disinformation. In addition, they welcome “the work being done to shed light on how and why gender disinformation is conceived, who it is targeted at and how it is spread.”

It also highlights that in March 2024, the Global Alliance and members of its Advisory Group co-sponsored a multi-stakeholder conference convened by the National Democratic Institute on possible responses to counter the spread of gender disinformation in the context of electoral processes.

Finally, member countries call on states to join them “in recognizing and taking action to counter the threat of gender disinformation to democracies globally.” They also urge technology companies and other private businesses to take “appropriate measures” to respond to this “threat,” including committing to a security-by-design approach to the development and deployment of platforms and technologies.