Article in The Guardian by Oliver Holmes, 5/2/23.
Headline: Media freedom in dire state in record number of countries, report finds
Sub-head: World Press Freedom Index report warns disinformation and AI pose mounting threats to journalism
“The Middle East is the world’s most dangerous region for journalists. But the Americas no longer have any country coloured green, meaning “good”, on the press freedom map. The US fell three places to 45th. The Asia Pacific region is dragged down by regimes hostile to reporters, such as Myanmar (173rd) and Afghanistan (152nd).
“’We are witnessing worrying trends, but the big question is if these trends are a hiccup or a sign of a world going backwards,’ said Guilherme Canela, the global lead on freedom of speech at Unesco. ‘Physical attacks, digital attacks, the economic situation, and regulatory tightening: we are facing a perfect storm.’”