UNESCO at WSIS Forum 2026: Rethinking crisis preparedness in digital age

Crisis communication has entered a new era

The discussion at the session highlighted that digital transformation has fundamentally changed how crises unfold. Today's emergencies are no longer mediated solely through national communication systems but increasingly through interconnected digital ecosystems that include social media platforms, artificial intelligence, cloud services and satellite communications. These systems now underpin humanitarian response, access to life-saving information and essential public services. But they also introduce new vulnerabilities, including cyberattacks, internet shutdowns, surveillance and restrictions on humanitarian access. Existing humanitarian protection and governance frameworks, however, struggle to keep pace with these developments.

National approaches alone are no longer sufficient

Drawing on experiences from recent conflicts, panelists highlighted how cooperation between national authorities and digital platforms has diminished over time, leaving governments with limited tools to ensure platform transparency and accountability during crises. The discussion underscored the growing need for stronger international cooperation to address increasingly transnational digital challenges, particularly in countries with limited market leverage.

New evidence highlights important governance gaps

The session presented preliminary findings from UNESCO's forthcoming global research, conducted with the University of Melbourne and based on responses from more than 200 regulatory experts worldwide. The research found that more than 60% of respondents reported that crisis-specific provisions are absent from, or unclear within, their national digital regulatory frameworks. Respondents also highlighted that critical transnational digital infrastructures, including cloud services and satellite systems, are not adequately reflected in existing crisis communication frameworks.

These findings underscore the need for stronger international cooperation and more comprehensive governance approaches capable of addressing the increasingly interconnected nature of digital crises.

This research will be published in the coming months of 2026.

Looking ahead

Panelists agreed that crisis preparedness must move beyond reactive responses towards a whole-of-information-ecosystem approach, supported by stronger international and multistakeholder cooperation, human rights-based governance, clearer institutional coordination and greater transparency and accountability from digital platforms during crises.

As digital technologies continue to reshape crisis response, building resilient information ecosystems will require collaboration across governments, regulators, humanitarian actors, civil society, academia, media organizations and technology companies. UNESCO will continue advancing this agenda through its Internet for Trust initiative and broader efforts to promote information integrity and human rights-based digital governance.

Moderated by Guilherme Canela, UNESCO's Director for Digital Inclusion and Policies and Digital Transformation, the session brought together a multistakeholder panel comprising Ingrid Volkmer, Professor in the Media and Communication Program, University of Melbourne; Maksym Dvorovyi, Senior Legal Counsel, Digital Security Lab Ukraine; Charles Lewis, Councilor of Independent Communications Authority of South Africa; and Guilio Coppi, Senior Humanitarian Officer, Access Now.

The session attracted more than 70 participants, both in person and online, reflecting the growing international interest in strengthening crisis preparedness in the digital age.