Canada allots USD 1.1 million to fight COVID-19 misinformation
Nov 17, 2020
Ottawa [Canada], November 17 (ANI/Sputnik): Canada is contributing USD 1.15 million towards fighting misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic, Global Affairs Canada said in a statement at the conclusion of the Global Conference on Media Freedom.
"[Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe] Champagne ... announced USD 1.5 million [USD 1.15 million USD] for the Lifeline Project to Tackle the COVID-19 Infodemic, a BBC Media Action project working with journalists in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Indonesia to create clear, fact-based COVID-19 content," the statement said on Monday.
The second Global Conference for Media Freedom was co-hosted by Canada and Botswana. The summit coalesced world leaders, media experts and advocates to explore solutions to what experts referred to as growing distrust in traditional media sources, a tide of disinformation and misinformation among other issues.
During the six-hour event, experts rankled over striking the right balance between competing principles of censorship, objectivity and freedom of the press and expression in the context of growing social media influence and amid the deadly global pandemic.
The policy- and decision-makers also urged governments to ensure the independence and freedom of the press and called for greater access and security for members of the media.
Champagne later told reporters that Estonia will be hosting next year's edition of the conference. (ANI/Sputnik)
