Building trust in digital age, focus of Slovenian President at UNGA78

In her address at the UN General Assembly 78, President of the Republic of Slovenia, Nataša Pirc Musar, stated that the world is undergoing profound shifts in demographics and technology, with various players, including private companies and individuals, shaping international relations across borders. However, amid these changes, the safeguarding of human dignity must remain at the centre of discussions.

Building trust – AI, content moderation and responsibility of big tech

Technology, including the widespread use of social media and AI, exhibits the unique ability to both unite and divide us. This dual nature highlights the pressing requirement for responsible oversight of these technologies, enabling us to maximize their benefits while minimising their drawbacks.

The challenge of disinformation, marked by conflicting narratives and a decline in trust toward information sources, stands as a substantial concern. In response, she called for major technology companies to systematically assume responsibility for content moderation, addressing issues like hate speech, disinformation, and harmful content. This approach aims to ensure that online standards mirror those observed in the offline world.

Human-centric technology development

The President of Slovenia called for a human-centric approach to developing and regulating technologies, especially AI, to ensure they respect human rights.

Global Digital Compact

One proposed solution to address these challenges is the call for a Global Digital Compact that firmly places human rights at its core. Such a compact would encourage meaningful commitment from all stakeholders, including private companies.

SDGs – Climate change

Climate change is the most pressing challenge of our time. We must break away from business-as-usual thinking to address this crisis effectively.

Collective Global Effort

Nataša Pirc Musar concluded that a changing world requires a collective global effort, and societies must prioritise humanity’s well-being over narrow interests.