Pope Francis Warns of Toxicity in Social Media, Calls for Inclusion in Digital Space

Catholic communicators provide a ‘significant contribution to the spread of a culture of peace grounded in the truth of the Gospel,’ the Holy Father also said.

Pope Francis greets attendees holding smartphones at his weekly general audience in the Paul VI Hall at Vatican City on Oct. 6, 2021.
Pope Francis greets attendees holding smartphones at his weekly general audience in the Paul VI Hall at Vatican City on Oct. 6, 2021. (photo: Daniel Ibañez / CNA)

Pope Francis has called on Catholics to counter toxicity in social media and to engage in dialogue and education to help deal with “lies and misinformation.” 

In a message published by the Holy See on July 18, the Holy Father also called for the inclusion of currently excluded communities into “the digital space.”

Pope Francis addressed this message to the participants of the 2022 World Congress of SIGNIS in Seoul, South Korea. The event is held every four years, and the 2022 Congress will explore the theme of “Peace in the Digital World” both on site and digitally Aug. 16-19. 

SIGNIS is the World Catholic Association for Communication, an organization whose mission is to “help transform cultures in the light of the Gospel by promoting human dignity, justice and reconciliation.”  

In his message, Pope Francis said, “the use of digital media, especially social media, has raised a number of  serious ethical issues that call for wise and discerning judgment on the part of communicators and  all those concerned with the authenticity and quality of human relationships.” 

“Sometimes and in some places, media sites have become places of toxicity, hate speech and fake news,” the Pope added.

He encouraged Catholic communicators to persevere in efforts to counter these, “paying particular attention to the need to assist people, especially young people, to develop a sound  critical sense, learning to distinguish truth from falsehood, right from wrong, good from evil, and to  appreciate the importance of working for justice, social concord, and respect for our common home.”

The Pope also drew attention to “the many communities in our world that remain excluded  from the digital space, making digital inclusion a priority.”

In doing  so, Catholic communicators provide a “significant contribution to the spread of a culture of peace grounded in the  truth of the Gospel,” the Holy Father added. 

Pope Francis prayed that “the story of St. Andrew  Kim and his companions two hundred years ago [may] confirm you in your own efforts to spread the  Gospel of Jesus Christ in the language of contemporary communications media.”

Newly-elected Pope Francis bows his head in prayer as he appears on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on March 13, 2013, in Vatican City.

The 10th Anniversary of Pope Francis’ Pontificate (March 18)

Ten years ago on March 13, the 265th Successor of Peter walked out for the first time onto the Balcony of Blessing at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. Before he gave his customary first blessing as the new Bishop of Rome, he asked for a “favor” — that is, for us to pray for him. His 10th anniversary reminds us that we should renew our prayers for our Holy Father. On today’s show Register columnist Father Raymond J. De Souza examines the highlights and lowlights of Pope Francis’ pontificate and then, along with Register Senior Editor Jonathan Liedl, we look at one of Francis’ biggest challenges: the German Synodal Way.