WHO proposes pandemic treaty, faces backlash over surveillance policy

Jun 28, 2023

Karah Rucker Reporter/Producer

By Karah Rucker (Reporter/Producer), Stacey Chamberlain (Digital Producer)

The overall consensus coming out of the COVID-19 global pandemic is that the world could have done better. But there is a major disagreement on how the world should prepare for the next one.

There is a debate taking place over a “pandemic treaty” proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO). Is there a one-size-fits-all approach?

There’s also a controversial “social listening” initiative included in the treaty which would limit misinformation spreading online.

The pandemic treaty would be a set of guidance for all countries to follow in the case of another world outbreak. According to the WHO, a united front following the same response plan is needed to better prepare and fend off the next global threat.

“We can not simply carry on as we did before. This is a moment to look behind us and remember the darkness of the tunnel. Chief among those lessons is we can only share faced threats with a shared response,” WHO Director Dr. Tedros Adhanom.

There is major opposition, however, to the WHO’s plan. According to an investigation by the news organization The Public, the pandemic treaty isn’t just about improving an international response to a future pandemic.

According to the investigation, Article 18 of the treaty calls for countries to prioritize censoring out misinformation. A tactic to do that would be to use “social listening initiatives,” which the WHO already uses in other capacities. It’s a surveillance system to track so-called misinformation online, potentially with the help of artificial intelligence.

The Public dubbed the pandemic treaty as the “censorship treaty” in response to the language it found inside the global response agreement. As for what else is inside the pandemic treaty, it is still unknown. The negotiator at the table, who is representing the U.S. in agreement with China, said in a statement that it’s not the right time to publicize the contents of the treaty.

Tags: Artificial Intelligence, COVID-19, Misinformation, Pandemic, World Health Organization

KARAH RUCKER: THE OVERALL CONSENSUS COMING OUT OF THE COVID-19 GLOBAL PANDEMIC – WAS THE WORLD COULD’VE DONE BETTER.

WHO PROPOSES PANDEMIC TREATY, RECEIVES BACKLASH OVER MISINFORMATION POLICY

BUT THERE IS MAJOR DISAGREEMENT IN HOW THE WORLD SHOULD PREPARE FOR THE NEXT ONE. IS THERE A “ONE-SIZE FITS ALL” APPROACH? OR DOES THAT POSE RISKS IN AND OF ITSELF? THAT’S THE DEBATE TAKING PLACE OVER A “PANDEMIC TREATY” PROPOSED BY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION —

AND A CONTROVERSIAL “SOCIAL LISTENING” INITIATIVE IT REPORTEDLY INCLUDES IN ORDER TO LIMIT SO-CALLED “MISINFORMATION” SPREADING ONLINE.

TREATY INTENDED TO PROVIDE UNITED RESPONSE TO FUTURE OUTBREAKS

THE PANDEMIC TREATY WOULD BE A SET OF GUIDANCE FOR ALL COUNTRIES TO FOLLOW — IN THE CASE OF ANOTHER WORLD OUTBREAK. ACCORDING TO THE W-H-O – A UNITED FRONT FOLLOWING THE SAME RESPONSE PLAN IS NEEDED TO BETTER PREPARE AND FEND OFF THE NEXT GLOBAL THREAT.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus | WHO DIRECTOR: “We can not simply carry on as we did before. This is a moment to look behind us and remember the darkness of the tunnel/chief among those lessons is we can only share faced threats with a shared response.”

REPORT: TREATY INCLUDES GUIDANCE TO CENSOR MISINFORMATION ONLINE

HOWEVER – THERE’S MAJOR OPPOSITION TO THE W-H-O’S PLAN. ACCORDING TO AN INVESTIGATION BY THE NEWS ORGANIZATION “THE PUBLIC” — THE “PANDEMIC TREATY” ISN’T JUST ABOUT IMPROVING AN INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE TO A FUTURE PANDEMIC.

ACCORDING TO THE INVESTIGATION – ARTICLE 18 OF THE TREATY CALLS FOR COUNTRIES TO PRIORITIZE CENSORING OUT MISINFORMATION. AND A TACTIC TO DO THAT – WOULD BE TO USE WHAT’S CALLED “SOCIAL LISTENING INITIATIVES.” – WHICH THE W-H-O ALREADY USES IN OTHER CAPACITIES. IT’S A SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM TO TRACK SO-CALLED MISINFORMATION ONLINE – POTENTIALLY WITH THE HELP OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

THE PUBLIC DUBBED THE “PANDEMIC TREATY” AS THE “CENSORSHIP TREATY” IN RESPONSE TO THE LANGUAGE IT FOUND INSIDE THE GLOBAL RESPONSE AGREEMENT. AS FOR WHAT ELSE IS INSIDE THE PANDEMIC TREATY – WE DON’T KNOW YET.

AND THE NEGOTIATOR AT THE TABLE REPRESENTING THE U.S. – IN AGREEMENT WITH CHINA – SAID IN A STATEMENT — IT’S NOT THE RIGHT TIME TO PUBLICIZE THE CONTENT INSIDE THE TREATY.