Digital content creators have become increasingly influential actors within contemporary information ecosystems. Across social media platforms, creators inform, entertain, mobilise and shape public discourse for growing audiences. As creators continue to emerge as key intermediaries between information and the public, understanding their motivations, practices, competencies, and challengeshas become essential for strengthening the resilience of the digital information ecosystems.
As part of its mandate to promote Media and Information Literacy (MIL) and freedom of expression, UNESCO has been building a global evidence based on digital content creators through its “Behind the Screens” research. In the framework of UNESCO’s “Social Media 4 Peace” (SM4P) project funded by the European Union, this global methodology has been adapted and localised to examine South Africa’s creators’ ecosystem and identify context-specific opportunities and challenges to engage with content creators in addressing harmful online content.
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