Maria Ressa, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and founder of Rappler, highlights the critical stakes for democracy in the upcoming U.S. election. She shares her experiences facing persecution for her journalism in the Philippines and emphasizes the influence of big tech on disinformation. Ressa calls for heightened awareness and action to combat the threats against journalistic integrity, illustrating the dangers posed by AI and social media. She stresses that the survival of factual reporting is essential in navigating today’s complex landscape.
Big tech's complicity with autocratic regimes is eroding democratic values and exacerbating the spread of disinformation worldwide.
Journalistic integrity is under threat due to disinformation campaigns and attacks on reporters, highlighting an urgent need for media solidarity.
Deep dives
The Role of Big Tech in Eroding Democracy
Big tech companies are viewed as increasingly aligning with autocratic regimes, contributing to the erosion of democratic values. This dynamic enables the rapid spread of disinformation, undermining trust in public institutions and facilitating authoritarian control. The consequences of this trend are evident in various nations, where manipulated narratives have led to violence and weakened institutions. The world is at a critical juncture, and the upcoming U.S. elections are seen as a pivotal moment that could determine the resilience of democracy globally.
Challenges in Journalism and Information Integrity
Journalism faces significant challenges due to the flawed information ecosystem that rewards sensationalism over truth. Journalists are often attacked and marginalized, amplifying the difficulty of holding powerful entities accountable. The rise of social media and subsequent disinformation campaigns have disrupted traditional journalistic values, leaving reporters vulnerable to manipulation. There is a pressing need for media organizations to unify in defense of factual reporting and to adapt their strategies in response to the changing landscape.
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Society
Artificial intelligence is becoming a formidable force in the manipulation of information and the shaping of public opinion, mirroring earlier concerns about social media. The potential for AI to exploit vulnerabilities in democratic processes is already being observed in various countries, particularly in the Global South. As AI creates detailed profiles based on personal data, the risks of micro-targeting and misinformation campaigns escalate, posing a threat to the integrity of democratic discourse. This requires urgent attention from both policymakers and journalists to mitigate the adverse effects of these technologies.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa wants to scare some sense into us. The U.S. election is just a month away,and she says the outcome is a tipping point in the fight for democracy over autocracy. Maria founded the news site Rappler in the Philippines back in 2012 and faced relentless persecution for her journalism under former President Rodrigo Duterte. Host Steven Overly sat down with Ressa to talk about the state of journalism, big tech, and disinformation as she sees it today.