Disinformation is undermining aid and risking lives in crises, says the Red Cross, as disasters affect hundreds of millions globally.
GENEVA: The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has warned that disinformation is becoming a major new threat in disaster zones, undermining humanitarian aid and putting lives at risk.
Its World Disasters Report 2026 highlights that between 2020 and 2024, disasters affected nearly 700 million people and caused over 105 million displacements.
The number of people needing humanitarian assistance more than doubled in that same timeframe.
The IFRC stated that “harmful information and dehumanising narratives” are increasingly eroding trust and endangering aid workers.
“In polarised and politically-charged contexts, humanitarian principles such as neutrality and impartiality are increasingly misunderstood, misrepresented or deliberately attacked online,” it said.
IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain emphasised that in every crisis, “information is as essential as food, water and shelter.”
He warned that false or manipulated information can deepen fear, obstruct access, and cost lives.
Chapagain noted that while harmful information is not new, it now moves with “unprecedented speed and reach” on digital platforms, which he described as “fertile ground for lies.”
The report cites numerous recent examples where disinformation hampered crisis responses.
False narratives during the 2024 Valencia floods accused the Spanish Red Cross of diverting aid to migrants, fuelling xenophobic attacks on volunteers.
In South Sudan, rumours of poisoned food distributions caused people to avoid life-saving aid and led to threats against staff.
Similar incidents of eroded trust and endangered communities were reported in Lebanon, Bangladesh, and several other countries.
The IFRC underlined that around 94% of disasters are handled by national and local actors without international intervention.
However, it noted that these trusted local messengers often operate in “increasingly hostile and polarised information environments.”
The federation called on governments, tech firms, and aid agencies to recognise that reliable information “is a matter of life and death.”
“Without trust, people are less likely to prepare, seek help or follow life-saving guidance,” Chapagain said.
The IFRC urged technology platforms to prioritise authoritative information from trusted sources during crises and to moderate harmful content transparently.
It also said humanitarian agencies must make preparing for disinformation “a core function” of their operations, with trained teams and analytics.
