In order to combat “lies and misinformation,” Pope Francis has urged Catholics to engage in debate, educate themselves, and take action against toxic content on social media.
The Holy Father also urged the participation of presently excluded communities in “the digital space” in a statement released by the Holy See on July 18.
Pope Francis addressed this message to the participants of the 2022 World Congress of SIGNIS in Seoul, South Korea. The event is held every four years, and the 2022 Congress explores the theme of “Peace in the Digital World” both on-site and digitally from August 16-19.
SIGNIS is the World Catholic Association for Communication, an organization whose mission is to “help transform cultures in the light of the Gospel by promoting human dignity, justice and reconciliation.”
In his message, Pope Francis said, “the use of digital media, especially social media, has raised a number of serious ethical issues that call for wise and discerning judgment on the part of communicators and all those concerned with the authenticity and quality of human relationships.”
“Sometimes and in some places, media sites have become places of toxicity, hate speech and fake news,” the pope added.
He encouraged Catholic communicators to persevere in efforts to counter these, “paying particular attention to the need to assist people, especially young people, to develop a sound critical sense, learning to distinguish truth from falsehood, right from wrong, good from evil, and to appreciate the importance of working for justice, social concord, and respect for our common home.”
In addition, the pope emphasised the importance of prioritising digital inclusion by pointing out “the many communities in our world that remain excluded from the digital space.”
As a result, the Holy Father continued, Catholic communicators significantly contribute “to the spread of a culture of peace grounded in the truth of the Gospel”.
Pope Francis prayed that “the story of Saint Andrew Kim and his companions two hundred years ago [may] confirm you in your own efforts to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the language of contemporary communications media.”