Joint Statement on behalf of members of the Media Freedom Coalition and Freedom Online Coalition on World Press Freedom Day 2025

On this World Press Freedom Day 2025, we, the undersigned members of the Media Freedom Coalition and the Freedom Online Coalition, pay tribute to journalists and media workers worldwide, particularly those reporting from conflict zones and repressive environments.  

Media freedom is a cornerstone of democracy and a fundamental pillar of open and resilient societies. It enables citizens to make informed decisions, fosters government accountability, and acts as a safeguard against abuse of power. A free and independent press also strengthens security by exposing corruption and human rights violations, drives economic growth by promoting fair markets, and improves public health by sharing accurate and timely information. 

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. AI presents both opportunities and challenges for media freedom. It can enhance journalism by aiding content creation, translation, data analysis, and fact-checking, making reporting more efficient and accessible.  

At the same time, AI could be used to suppress independent journalism at home and abroad, which may amount to transnational repression. AI-driven surveillance, online harassment, foreign information manipulation and interference, and censorship threaten press freedom. AI could also be used to misrepresent journalism, through the generation of deepfakes and other synthetic content that mislead audiences and harm trust in journalists. Without safeguards, AI poses risks to free expression. 

On this World Press Freedom Day, we reaffirm our commitment to protecting independent journalism and media in the digital age. We call on governments to develop and use AI in a manner consistent with international human rights obligations, and for all relevant stakeholders, including the private sector, to respect human rights and ensure transparency and accountability. Strengthening public understanding of how AI is used in journalism, including its benefits and risks, helps to build trust and makes it easier to recognize potential bias or manipulation. 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.