UN Launches Drive to Shield Terrorism Victims Online
The United Nations has launched a victim-led initiative to protect survivors of terrorist attacks from online harm and re-traumatisation, unveiling the effort on Friday during the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism.
Formalised under the banner “Building a Safer Internet for Victims of Terrorism,” the guidance was presented at a high-level virtual commemorative event at UN Headquarters under this year’s theme, “Healing through Memory.” It is driven by the Victims of Terrorism Associations Network (VoTAN), a global platform of survivors and victims’ associations established by the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism in April 2025 to amplify survivors’ voices, foster peer support and shape policy.
Officials said the initiative addresses a growing digital vulnerability: the spread of misinformation, deepfakes and the weaponisation of personal stories on social media that can re-traumatise survivors and distort the historical record of attacks. Acts of terrorism kill and maim thousands each year, and online harm has been reported by survivors in every region.
Saynab Warsame, a survivor of a terrorist attack in Somalia, told the event that the day of remembrance is not merely another date on the calendar. “It’s a day that reminds me of who I lost, who I am and who I am still becoming,” she said. “In today’s digital world, memories are fragile. With fake videos and information, the truth can easily be lost or changed.”
Rachel Goldberg-Polin, a dual US-Israeli citizen whose 23-year-old son Hersh was kidnapped from the Nova Music Festival during the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack and later killed after 328 days in captivity, also spoke. “Tragically, I am not unique. There are millions of parents around the world who have had to bury their children,” she said, calling on societies to choose restraint over selfish interest.
Hassan Ndugwa, injured in a 2010 suicide bombing at a FIFA World Cup final viewing party in Uganda that killed more than 70 people, described how he and fellow survivors founded the Uganda Muslim Youth Development Forum. The organisation has provided job skills training and alternative pathways for thousands of young people, reducing susceptibility to extremist recruitment. “They now have renewed hope,” he said. “So, it’s difficult for you to come and tell them to join an extremist group because they are seeing a brighter future.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasised that how societies remember matters. “Victims’ stories must never be exploited or used to sow more hate, including on digital platforms,” he said. “Instead of letting terror divide us, we can and must stay united. Today and every day, let us stand in solidarity with victims and survivors and build a future free from violence and fear.”
The launch builds on the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism’s broader “Tech for Victims of Terrorism” project, supported by the German Federal Foreign Office. That initiative has produced a gap analysis of digital tools for survivor support and is convening working groups throughout 2026 on co-designing tools with affected communities, data security and creating safer online environments. Outcomes are expected to inform a comprehensive toolkit later this year.
By placing survivors at the centre of both diagnosis and response, the VoTAN-led guidance seeks practical recommendations for governments, technology companies and civil society to minimise re-victimisation while preserving the integrity of memory.
The International Day was established by the UN General Assembly in 2017. Friday’s event included a global minute of silence and contributions from the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism, co-chaired by Iraq and Spain.
