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135. …A broad, responsible scientific and social debate needs to take place ... It sometimes happens that complete information is not put on the table; a selection is made on the basis of particular interests, be they politico-economic or ideological. …. Discussions are needed in which all those directly or indirectly affected … can make known their problems and concerns ...
Reflection
It is difficult to see all the issues that surround a topic such as GMOs; each of us has biases and blind spots. It is even more difficult when we receive mis- and disinformation. We need reliable input and lived experience of farmers, consumers, civil authorities, scientists, seed producers, people living near fumigated fields, and others.
Action
Essential to dialogue is goodwill and truth. Online mis- and disinformation and hate speech threaten this. What can we do? First step: become informed. Here are two items to read: Misinformation in the media: global coverage of GMOs 2019-2021; and Our Common Agenda Policy Brief 8: Information Integrity on Digital Platforms, a framework for a global response to the spread of hate and lies in the digital space introduced in June by the UN. What more can you do?
