The Media Freedom Coalition (MFC), a global alliance of democratic governments and civil society partners promoting media freedom and journalists safety worldwide, and the Freedom Online Coalition (FOC), a network of 42 governments promoting internet freedom globally, have paid tributes to journalists worldwide and acknowledged the efforts they put into their work, especially those in conflict and repressive environments.
In a joint press statement issued to commemorate this year’s World Press Freedom Day, they also urged governments to align Artificial Intelligence (AI) development with international human rights obligations and called on all stakeholders, including the private sector, to uphold human rights and ensure transparency.
The groups noted that media freedom is a cornerstone of democracy and a fundamental pillar of open and resilient societies, which enables citizens to make informed decisions, fosters government accountability, and acts as a safeguard against abuse of power. In addition, they noted that a free and independent press also strengthens security by exposing corruption and human rights violations, drives economic growth, promotes fair markets, and improves public health through sharing accurate and timely information.
The groups stressed in the statement that this year’s theme, “Reporting in the Brave New World: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media,” highlights the growing role of AI in journalism, as well as presents both opportunities and challenges for media freedom. They added that it can enhance journalism by aiding content creation, translation, data analysis, and fact-checking, making reporting more efficient and accessible.
They, however, pointed out that AI could be used to suppress independent journalism at home and abroad, which may amount to transnational repression. They warned that AI-driven surveillance, online harassment, foreign information manipulation and interference, and censorship present serious threats to press freedom.
The statement also noted that AI could be used to misrepresent journalism through the generation of deepfakes and other synthetic content that mislead audiences and harm trust in journalists, and that, without appropriate safeguards, AI poses risks to free expression.
They reaffirmed their commitment to protecting independent journalism and media in the digital age, as well as strengthening public understanding of how AI is used in journalism, including its benefits and risks, and how it helps to build trust and makes it easier to recognise potential bias or manipulation. They emphasised that AI should be a tool to reinforce, not weaken, media freedom, so that journalism continues to serve the public interest and uphold democratic values and human rights.
