Thirty-two years ago, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 3 May as an international day for press freedom, under the custodianship of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco). Since then, says Unesco director-general Audrey Azoulay, a lot has changed – including the way the information universe works.
The theme of this year’s World Press Freedom Day was Reporting in the Brave New World – The Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Press Freedom and the Media.
AI is a very new field, with numerous ethical considerations still being worked out. One current contentious issue is the use of published material to train AI systems, without compensating creators, and without their permission. “While artificial intelligence has the potential to improve access to, the gathering of, and the verification of information, it can also – by training on content without remunerating its authors – jeopardise independent journalism and undermine the plurality of online content,” said Azoulay.
This is a significant consideration, because independent journalism and media freedom provide room for diverse opinions on topics of importance. This means that more constituencies are catered for and narrow, one-dimensional thinking is prevented – vital for media diversity and plurality, which in turn is vital for democracy. It also means that media works for the greater good of citizens, not of those in power.
In corruption terms, an independent media is essential in helping to bring illicit activities to light and to expose those who perpetrate such activities. This is a fundamental democratic support structure – every person has the right to access various kinds of information that will have an impact on their daily life and will help them to make an informed choice in, for example, elections. It is not a stretch of the imagination to say that most people would like to support political candidates with proven good ethics and standards.
However, in the important year of 2024, where citizens of more than 60 countries went to the polls to have their say in their various forms of government, AI played an influencing role by threatening the integrity of information, spreading misinformation, and widening social divisions. By using these undesirable activities to deny people the right to cast informed votes, AI undermined – and continues to undermine – trust in democratic institutions, and democracy itself.
“The internet and social networks have considerably facilitated individual expression and democratised the production of online content,” Azoulay commented. “It has also posed increased risks to information integrity, and these risks have been amplified by algorithms. These circumstances are all the more relevant given that, in a study conducted by Unesco in 2023, 56% of the people surveyed said that they used digital platforms as their principal source of news.”
“Social media algorithms amplify extreme content and spread false information to maximise engagement,” said the Johannesburg-based Campaign on Digital Ethics (CODE), with the result of fostering far-right ideologies and extremism which are harmful to democracy. The organisation works to create a “fair, transparent, and ethical digital world” through various focus areas that demand accountability and support democracy and human rights, including advocating for greater transparency and accountability in these algorithms. Ultimately, says CODE, users must be allowed to control their digital lives,
Benefits and risks
“AI is transforming the fundamental right to seek, impart, and receive information, as well as the journalistic profession,” said Unesco. “It enhances access to information and processing of it, enabling journalists to handle and process vast amounts of data efficiently and create content more effectively. AI tools can … streamline the journalistic process and make information more engaging and accessible.”
AI can be a power tool in the newsroom, said the Global Investigative Journalism Network, provided it is used ethically and honestly. “When deployed smartly with proper editorial controls, AI tools can prove especially useful for small independent and non-profit media that lack the financial resources and staff of bigger news outlets.”
But there are risks involved in the use of AI, because of the ease with which it can reproduce misinformation, spread disinformation, amplify online hate speech, and enable new forms of censorship. Unesco said: “Some actors use AI for mass surveillance of journalists and citizens, creating a chilling effect on freedom of expression. Private platforms increasingly use AI to filter, moderate, and curate content, becoming gatekeepers of information.”
In terms of personal safety, said the organisation, AI presents both opportunities and challenges for women journalists especially. “AI can support victims of gender-based violence by streamlining reporting tools and enhancing fairness in digital spaces. These advancements could reduce barriers to reporting abuse and enable faster responses.”
But the technology also amplifies existing risks for women journalists in the digital landscape, Unesco added. Technology-facilitated gender-based violence is increasingly becoming a critical global issue, especially for women in sectors like politics or journalism. “AI systems can generate deepfakes, doctored images, and mis/disinformation campaigns aimed at discrediting or intimidating women journalists. These AI-driven attacks jeopardise their safety but also have a chilling effect on their work, potentially limiting public access to information.”
Running throughout all these issues is the principle of human rights, emphasising the need for policy guidelines and technology-based solutions that align with human rights standards and that ensure human rights are upheld.
