Amid growing global conflicts and societal divisions, the United Nations (UN) marked World Press Freedom Day with a powerful reminder: freedom for people depends on freedom of press.
Speaking on the occasion, the UN emphasized that free and independent journalism is a critical public good, forming the foundation for accountability, justice, equality, and human rights. "Journalists everywhere must be able to report freely and without fear or favor," the message stated. "When journalists are unable to work, we all lose."
The UN voiced serious concern over increasingly hostile environment faced by journalists around the world. Attacks, detentions, censorship, intimidation, and violence against media workers are on the rise, with a notable surge in number of journalists killed in conflict zones, particularly in Gaza.
This year’s World Press Freedom Day theme draws attention to an unprecedented new challenge: the impact of artificial intelligence on the media landscape. While AI holds the potential to support freedom of expression, it also risks amplifying misinformation, bias, and hate speech. "Biased algorithms, outright lies, and hate speech are landmines on the information superhighway," the statement warned.
In response, the UN highlighted initiatives like Global Digital Compact and Global Principles for Information Integrity, which aim to strengthen international cooperation, uphold human rights in the digital space, and prioritize accurate, verifiable information.
"AI must be shaped in a way that is consistent with human rights and puts facts first," the UN stressed.
As the world celebrates World Press Freedom Day, the UN called on all nations and communities to reaffirm their commitment to safeguarding press freedom. "Let’s commit to make this a reality and protect the press everywhere," the statement concluded.
