Like many other influencers, Dylan Page has never aspired to be a journalist. Rather, he takes pride in being a content creator—someone who sources news, analyses it and curates it for his followers. His approach has been extremely successful: today, he is one of a number of “news influencers” whose posts on social media attract millions of views and subscribers.
Digital content creators like Dylan Page are increasingly present in the information landscape. Their ability to tailor news that appeals to their audiences, particularly young people, has contributed to the rise of social media as a daily source of information, surpassing the traditional media.
However, according to a UNESCO survey, 62% of digital content creators do not check accuracy before sharing content with their audiences. This is a major issue: misinformation and disinformation are often more sensational or engaging than other content, so they spread much faster than the truth. They also have real-life consequences, eroding trust in the media, undermining democratic processes and fueling hate speech.
Digital content creators have acquired an important place in the information ecosystem, engaging millions of people with cultural, social or political news. But many are struggling in the face of disinformation and online hate speech and calling for more training.
In this context, UNESCO and the joined forces to co-organize a training course for top content creators and journalists. Over 10,000 participants gathered to learn about building audience trust, shaping public opinion in an ethical way, and creating engaging content to promote media and information literacy.
For many of them, this led to an increased awareness of their responsibilities as content creators, especially in preserving freedom of expression and ensuring access to reliable information, two fundamental human rights upheld by UNESCO. Moving forward, they will emphasize the need to verify and source each publication, to avoid the spread of misinformation and disinformation online.
According to Dylan Page, who took part in a round table discussion in April 2024 with other influencers such as María Paulina Baena, Salla-Rosa Leinonen and Sam Ellis, where they provided input on the course’s objectives, content, and format, “One of the biggest things that I learned from yesterday is understanding the real side of [the investigation]. I think that I'm standing on the shoulders of giants—the people and organizations that have been doing this for 150 years. And so it's recognizing that and respecting that as I go forth, and paying respect and crediting.”
