Pope Francis issued a stark warning on Thursday about the dangers of misinformation, highlighting how it can be spread through social media and artificial intelligence (AI). He cautioned that such tools could be “misused to manipulate minds.”
During his annual New Year’s address to diplomats at the Vatican, the Pope expressed concern over the growing polarization of society, exacerbated by the relentless spread of fake news. He explained that this misinformation not only distorts facts but also alters perceptions, creating “false images of reality” that fuel suspicion, hate, insecurity, and undermine civil coexistence, ultimately threatening the stability of nations.
While Francis has frequently spoken out against fake news, his remarks came shortly after tech company Meta, which owns Facebook, announced the end of its third-party fact-checking initiative in the U.S., opting instead for a crowd-sourced approach to combating misinformation similar to that of X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Addressing political leaders, the Pope remarked, “In our time, the denial of self-evident truths seems to have gained the upper hand,” noting that modern communication tools and AI can amplify these tendencies, leading to the manipulation of public opinion for economic, political, and ideological purposes.
Francis, who has led the global Catholic Church since 2013, emphasized the importance of media literacy to foster critical thinking in the face of such challenges. Due to a cold, he did not deliver the speech himself but had it read by a senior cleric.
The Pope also addressed the issue of “cancel culture,” criticizing it for rejecting differences and prioritizing individual rights over duties to others, particularly the vulnerable. He condemned attempts to distort multilateral documents and reinterpret human rights treaties to advance divisive ideologies, citing as an example the “right to abortion,” which he argued contradicts the fundamental human right to life.
Finally, Francis warned that multilateral institutions were at risk of becoming “like-minded clubs,” where only those who share the same views are welcome, rendering them ineffective in ensuring peace and stability.