IGF 2025 Lightning Talk #209 Safeguarding Diverse, Independent News Media in Policy

From AI to disinformation to media remuneration and more, we are at a point in our global history where we are proposing and passing more government policy that, both directly and indirectly, impacts journalism and the public’s access to a plurality of fact-based news. This is occurring at the same time that it is getting harder to put boundaries around what is and is not journalism (including what the public finds relevant), and as we are seeing increased government censorship and encroachment upon press freedoms. CNTI has spent the last year conducting multitude global studies across a variety of methodologies, hosting cross-sector, global discussions and working with a wide range of partners to shed light on critical policy considerations to protect, rather than increase risk to, an independent news media and access to a plurality of fact-based news. This work has included a study of 23 media remuneration policies around the world, 32 “fake News” policies, an international survey of journalists conducted with numerous partner organizations including Global Fund for Media Development, Internews, Center for Journalism Innovation and Development (Africa), a 4-country series of focus groups and quantitative surveys of the public, 4 international convenings, guest essays and more. Among the findings: * While the ease of digital content creation provided an entryway for smaller, independent, minority-focused journalism, components in current policy proposals put that at risk, often unintentionally, including in how journalism, news and the public interest are, or are not, not defined. * Even when technically aimed at curbing disinformation, the majority of “fake news” laws, either passed or actively considered from 2020 to 2023, lessen the protection of an independent press and the public’s open access to a plurality of fact-based news. * There is a significant disconnect between journalists and the public in their confidence that freedom of information and an open internet will endure. * 50% of journalists surveyed say they have experienced government overreach in the last year — including complaints about their content and censorship. * In a day long convening held in Mexico City, Mexico, with local co-sponsor OEM, participants discussed the ways the policy has been used to threaten journalists, access and publicize private data and even imprison journalists. They called for global awareness to language in policy and that protections get put in place. * The analysis of media remuneration policies enacted and proposed between 2018 and 2024, revealed that policies — including those intended to benefit the public and safeguard journalism — often had worrying downstream effects. Most of these policies failed to specify what is meant by “the public interest” and some may end up making journalism more difficult to access. * Most AI - related policies to date do not directly speak to journalism or news, but will no doubt impact it. It is critical to consider the various ways this can happen. In this talk, CNTI will lay out some of these findings in detail and present a framework of consideration in forthcoming internet governance debates.