UNESCO has announced the launch of the second phase (2025-2027) of its “Social Media 4 Peace” (SM4P) project. Funded by the European Union, this three-year initiative will expand its reach to Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, and South Africa, building upon the successes and lessons learned from the project’s pilot phase.
SM4P aims to strengthen societal resilience against harmful online content in conflict-prone and socially polarized environments, while simultaneously protecting freedom of expression and promoting peace through social media. The project addresses the critical need for effective content governance mechanisms in the digital age.
Building on Pilot Phase Successes
The initial SM4P project, launched in 2021, focused on Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, Indonesia, and Kenya. It highlighted the complex interplay between social media dynamics and existing societal tensions, as well as the geographical disparities in digital platform investment in content moderation, particularly in non-English speaking regions. Crucially, the pilot phase demonstrated the effectiveness of multi-stakeholder engagement, local expertise, and evidence-based research in mitigating harmful content and fostering online civic participation.
Scaling Up and Refining Strategies
Phase 2 will build upon these findings, scaling up the project’s impact and incorporating lessons learned. The project will focus on two key outcomes:
- Developing National Capacity: Empowering national stakeholders to develop and implement evidence-based, multi-stakeholder tools and mechanisms to combat harmful online content, while upholding freedom of expression and access to information.
- Promoting Media and Information Literacy (MIL): Supporting civil society organizations, youth, media, digital content creators, and tech companies in adopting MIL strategies and policies to enhance user resilience against harmful content and promote gender-responsive peacebuilding narratives.
Guiding Principles and Collaboration
The project will be guided by UNESCO’s “Guidelines for the Governance of Digital Platforms,” which promote independent, human rights-consistent governance systems, emphasizing platform due diligence, transparency, accountability, user empowerment, and contextual sensitivity.
This initiative is a collaboration between UNESCO and the European Union, reflecting the EU’s commitment to poverty eradication, sustainable development, human rights, peace, democracy, good governance, gender equality, the rule of law, and justice. The project underscores the shared commitment to fostering a safer and more inclusive digital space.
