Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression: Freedom of Expression and Elections in the Digital Age

In this thematic report, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, Irene Khan, documents the interconnected erosion of both freedom of expression and the right to vote. “If public confidence in elections is to be restored, the decline in freedom of expression must be reversed,” the Rapporteur states and points to key vulnerabilities: political polarization, a surge of dis/misinformation and hate speech online, “the backsliding of social media platforms on their commitments to safety and electoral integrity,” and the weak state of the traditional media sector. In compiling the report, the Rapporteur conducted multiple consultations, including regional workshops in Addis Ababa, Bangkok, Santiago, and Istanbul, and received dozens of written contributions from experts, including CGFoE.