London has launched a £7m international campaign to counter what City Hall says is growing misinformation about the capital on social media.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan announced the campaign during a visit to Singapore, where the initiative was unveiled alongside a digital advertising display promoting London.
The campaign, led by London & Partners and due to launch in September, will target audiences in Europe, the US and Asia, with the aim of boosting tourism and investment.
It follows research commissioned by City Hall which found that false and misleading claims about London were being shared on social media, particularly through Japanese and Chinese-language accounts.
According to the research, some accounts translated and amplified anti-immigration and anti-Islam content originally posted in English, while others shared AI-generate images and misleading claims about events in the capital.
One example cited in the research involved a US Embassy security alert which was presented online as evidence that ‘London has fallen’.
What’s more, the report highlighted that in some months more than 15,000 posts in Japanese had claimed London was lawless or under Islamic control.
Researchers also said some verified accounts posing as news outlets were sharing false or misleading content to generate engagement.
City Hall explained separate research had found hostile narratives portraying London as dangerous or in decline had increase by between 150% and 200% over the past two years. It also identified a Vietnam-based Facebook network of at least 42 pages with a combined following of around 1.25 million.
‘From offering the best attractions and cultural institutions for visitors to enjoy, to being an innovative and welcoming market for investors and tech companies, London truly is the greatest city in the world,’ Sadiq Khan, said. ‘Our extraordinary creativity, diversity and global influence defines our city, and makes us the perfect place to visit and invest in.
‘However, we are facing a relentless and unprecedented attack of lies and hatred from those wanting to damage our capital’s standing and our hugely important tourism industry.
‘Disinformation about London has become a truly global scourge. It’s a money-making industry pushing lies about our capital and preying on people’s fears around the world, so we must fight back on a global scale.’
Dame Susan Langley, Lady Mayor of the City of London, added: ‘As the UK’s international ambassador for financial and professional services, I see firsthand the intensity of global competition.
‘Other markets are actively promoting their strengths, and the UK must be equally confident in telling its story. Disinformation about London may begin online, but it doesn’t stay online.’
‘If we all this narrative to take root, we risk undermining confidence and missing opportunities for investment and growth,’ she added.
‘During my year as Lady Mayor, I am committed to working with the Mayor, business leaders and industry bodies to help reset the narrative, champion London’s strengths, and promote a clear, confident message about why London and the UK remain among the best places in the world to live, work and invest.’
Image: Shutterstock
In related news:
Affordable housing: councils have the will, now they need the way
Leave a Reply