The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has issued an urgent warning regarding the corrosive impact of misinformation and hate speech on displaced populations, noting that these digital threats are no longer just social nuisances, but direct catalysts for real-world violence. Speaking at the “AI for Good Global Summit” in Geneva, UN officials highlighted the critical intersection between global displacement crises and the burgeoning “information crises” that often accompany them. As the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide surged to 117.8 million by the end of 2025, the proliferation of hostile, false narratives has created a dangerous environment that hampers the integration, safety, and well-being of the world’s most vulnerable populations.
Gisella Lomax, the UNHCR’s senior advisor on information integrity, emphasized that the spread of online rumors, scapegoating, and dehumanizing rhetoric frequently translates into physical attacks, protests, and further forced displacement. When information is distorted, refugees suffer compounded barriers in their attempts to access employment, education, and essential public services. Lomax stressed that the current situation is not a matter of curtailing legitimate public debate on migration policy, but rather a direct response to life-threatening risks where false information serves as a weaponized tool that undermines social cohesion and jeopardizes the lives of humanitarian staff and refugees alike.
A significant focus of the agency’s concerns at the summit was the role of artificial intelligence in scaling these threats. Generative AI has lowered the barrier for bad actors to produce convincing deepfake videos of aid workers and refugees, which are being used to deceive the public and incite hatred at an unprecedented scale. Furthermore, human traffickers and smugglers are increasingly exploiting digital platforms to lure already vulnerable individuals with fraudulent promises of safety or work, frequently leading them into life-threatening conditions. The velocity at which this automated misinformation spreads makes it difficult for humanitarian organizations to counter false narratives effectively.
Despite these grim challenges, the UN remains optimistic about the potential for technology to be part of the solution. If managed with intentional oversight and ethical considerations, AI tools could be instrumental in managing complex humanitarian crises and authenticating information in real-time. By deploying advanced moderation technologies that are capable of operating in less-common languages and adapting to volatile humanitarian contexts, tech companies could provide a robust defense against the spread of harmful content. The UNHCR is currently looking for ways to harness this potential to protect, rather than endanger, those in its care.
The core of the agency’s message is a direct “call to action” directed toward the technology sector, including AI developers and major digital platforms. The UNHCR is urging these corporations to move beyond passive content moderation and move toward proactive collaboration, investment, and partnership with humanitarian organizations. By systematizing efforts to verify information and scaling protections against digital exploitation, the tech industry has a professional and ethical mandate to help turn the tide on the information crisis, ensuring that digital spaces remain a tool for empowerment rather than a megaphone for hatred.
As the international community grapples with the fallout of wars and instability in high-impact regions—including Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Venezuela—the importance of “information integrity” has become a central pillar of refugee protection. Concluding its statements in Geneva, the UNHCR underscored that the stability of the global humanitarian system depends heavily on our ability to navigate a digital landscape where truth is increasingly under fire. The success of future relief operations will hinge on the ability of governments and private tech giants to work in concert to neutralize digital threats before they manifest as humanitarian catastrophes.
