Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
UN special rapporteurs and independent experts provide focused insights on international human rights, with 46 thematic and 13 country-specific mandates as of November 2025. These unpaid, non-UN staff members offer a unique perspective on global and national issues.
Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, called digital technology the most disruptive factor to free expression in centuries. She warned of growing ‘media deserts’ and shrinking public spaces, criticizing both tech giants and state actors for using digital tools to suppress dissent, without naming specific entities.
Her report revealed a dangerous power imbalance, pointing out that the revenue of a single digital company can exceed the GDP of 130 countries. Some platforms now reach over three billion users monthly—more than any nation’s population.
Khan noted that the line between regulators and the regulated is increasingly blurred, with some states colluding with companies as criminal laws and weak AI frameworks are used to censor speech and incite hostility toward minorities, migrants, and women leaders. She urged governments to uphold their human rights obligations to protect global free speech.
The report further identified that online environments driven by profit are often polluted by hate, disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups such as women, children, and journalists.