The OECD report Facts Not Fakes reframes disinformation as a structural threat to democracy, not just a problem of false content. In democratic societies, public debate depends on access to diverse, independent, and reliable information. When disinformation spreads, it blurs shared facts, deepens polarization, and weakens the social trust needed for citizens to make collective decisions. What stands out is the OECD’s focus on information integrity. The report argues tha

The International IDEA initiative on gender and inclusion suggests that the greatest danger of disinformation is not simply that it spreads false information, it gradually weakens the trust that democracy depends on. While elections are often the most visible targets, coordinated disinformation campaigns increasingly undermine confidence in public institutions, independent media, and even the possibility of constructive public dialogue. When people can no longer distinguish r

The latest World Economic Forum analysis offers a compelling explanation for why misinformation and disinformation are now ranked as greater short-term global risks than climate change or armed conflict. The reason is not that these crises have become less serious, but that disinformation has the power to weaken society’s ability to respond to all of them. Advanced AI and synthetic media are making false narratives faster, cheaper, and more convincing, while psychological pro

This week’s Field Notes reveal a common thread across debates on surveillance, privacy, and digital rights: the greatest threat to digital freedom is often not censorship itself, but the growing normalization of being watched. The Freedom on the Net 2025 report showed that global internet freedom has declined for the fifteenth consecutive year, with governments increasingly relying on digital surveillance and monitoring technologies. At the same time, Privacy International’s

A recent UN resolution highlighted by ARTICLE 19 recognizes a growing reality: human rights defenders are increasingly being targeted through digital surveillance, spyware, and online monitoring. While activists have long faced physical threats, digital technologies now allow governments and other actors to track communications, identify networks, and suppress dissent more efficiently than ever. What makes the resolution important is its recognition that digital rights and hu