Manuel Bruque / EPA
People amid the damage caused by floods in Valencia in 2024, when 236 people died
The International Federation of the Red Cross warned that in humanitarian contexts “harmful information”, in the case of disinformation, is also “a matter of life and death”, urging its fight.
Disinformation is also a matter of life and death. The warning is contained in the 2026 World Disaster Report of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC), presented in Geneva (Switzerland) this Thursday.
The same document calls on governments, technology companies, media, communities and civil society organizations to join forces to ensure reliable information, which, in humanitarian crises, “is as essential as food, water and shelter”.
Defining harmful information as “information with the potential to cause, contribute to or result in harm to an individual or entity” and pointing out that it “includes disinformation, misinformation, malicious information, hate speech and other harmful narratives”, the report emphasizes that it “is not just background noise”, as it “actively shapes how people understand crises, who they trust and whether they can access humanitarian assistance and protection”.
On the other hand, “it represents an operational and strategic challenge that affects acceptance, security and principled humanitarian action”, the document continues.
Example of Valencia in 2024
“As the information ecosystem becomes increasingly complex, so must the ability to read it, respond to it and protect affected populations, individuals and organizations from its harm. Navigating this ecosystem is now an essential part of what it means to act in humanitarian crises”, highlights the IFRC report, which, among the many examples given in the extensive document, reports the case of the damaging information that occurred when, in October 2024, Valencia was hit by floods caused by the DANA storm that caused 236 deaths.
“Specific incidents of harmful information that spread on social media included negative comments, insults and threats directed at our workers and volunteers on the streets and, to a lesser extent, acts of vandalism against our offices and vehicles, such as graffiti and flat tires”, points out the Red Cross, the target of rumors that it was not acting or was using funds improperly.
The report states that misinformation has not impeded humanitarian work, but created “an extraordinary workload dedicated to denying, explaining or minimizing the impact of harmful information, causing emotional distress and even doubts about the organizationboth in society and among members of the Spanish Red Cross, undermining public trustwith some donors questioning the organization.”
Stressing that “harmful information is not new, but today travels with unprecedented speed and range”, as “digital platforms open vital channels for community voices, but also provide a ground fertile for lies”, a scenario worsened by Artificial Intelligence, the IFRC then urges coordinated action from all relevant actors.
Commenting on the report, this year titled “Truth, Trust and Humanitarian Action in the Age of Harmful Information”, the Secretary-General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Jagan Chapagainhighlights the vital importance of information in crisis situations.
“In every crisis I have witnessed, and in every response by the international Red Cross and Red Crescent network to disasters, public health emergencies, mass population movements or humanitarian consequences of armed conflict, information is as essential as food, water and shelter” as it “guides people to safety, connects them to their loved ones and gives them the knowledge they need to protect themselves and their communities”, he highlights.
On the contrary, the misinformation brings us closer to death scenarios.
“Information can also cause harm: when false, misleading or deliberately manipulated, it can deepen fear, fuel discrimination, obstruct humanitarian access and cost lives. We have seen this all too often: during disease outbreaks, when rumors outpace health advice, after disasters, when mistrust hampers the delivery of aid, and in armed conflicts, when inflammatory narratives intensify violence,” he continues.
Reinforcing the report’s call, Chapagain urges “governments, humanitarian actors, media, technology companies and communities to recognize that reliability of information is a matter of life and death” and to act accordingly.
“Just as we plan logistics, accommodation and healthcare in emergency situations, we must also plan the information environment. This requires investing in community engagement, prioritizing listening over talking, building resilience against harmful narratives and consistently defending humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence in all interactions and messages”, maintains the IFRC Secretary General.
