The advance of disinformation campaigns, a “simulation industry” that does not allow people to see the difference to distinguish what is true from what is false, is one of the greatest threats to press freedom today, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in your annual report. These manipulation tools exercised by governments affect 118 countries out of the 180 analyzed. A situation that has worsened with the war in Ukraine, but also with the development of artificial intelligence.
These are the conclusions of RSF’s 2023 report, which analyzes the situation of the press in 180 countries. These 118 countries recognize the involvement of political actors in massive disinformation or propaganda campaigns, on a regular or systematic basis.
“This volatility and instability is the effect of aggressive power in many countries against journalists not only in the physical world, but also in social networks. It is also a product of the growth of the simulation industry, which distributes disinformation and provides tools to make it,” says RSF secretary general Christophe Deloire in the report.
Artificial intelligence is another threat to the press, as “it has shaken the fragile world of the media, where the difference between what is true and what is false, what is real and what is artificial, facts and artifacts is blurred, endangering the right to information”, says the report, which stresses that “unprecedented manipulation capacities are used to weaken those who practice quality journalism, at the same time that they weaken journalism itself”.
In its analysis, RSF cites Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter, who “has imposed an extreme, arbitrary and censorship logic” on this social network, demonstrating “that these platforms are quicksand for journalism.”
The outbreak of the war in Ukraine, where Russia launched a media arsenal in a short time, is the best example of the progress of these disinformation campaigns. Of the 180 countries analyzed, Russia occupies 164th place, falls nine places and in Ukraine (79th place) practicing journalism has never been so difficult, says the organization.
According to RSF, the press freedom situation is very serious in around thirty countries, difficult in 42 and problematic in 55. The situation is good or very good in only fifty, most of these countries being in Europe. Spain drops four positions, going from 32nd to 36th this year, and is below Namibia, Moldova, Costa Rica, Portugal, Lithuania or Taiwan, among many other countries.
RSF makes special mention of Latin America, where the level of murders of journalists and reporters is at the level of countries at war. It also highlights that China is the world’s largest jail for journalists and one of the largest propaganda machines. Brazil stands out positively, which advances positions thanks to the change of government, having left behind that of the far-right Jair Bolsonaro.
Some Nordic countries lead the list, such as Norway (first in the list), Sweden, (fourth) and Finland (fifth). Ireland ranks second. The report warns of the situation in Germany, which loses five places in a “record year of violent acts and arrests of journalists.”
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
