• The United Nations observes World Press Freedom Day on May 3. 

• World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 1993, following the recommendation of UNESCO’s General Conference. 

• Since then, May 3, the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek has been celebrated worldwide as World Press Freedom Day.

• Over the years, the historic connection made between the freedom to seek, impart and receive information and the public good remains as relevant as it was at the time of its signing. 

• May 3 acts as a reminder to governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom. It is also a day of reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics. 

Windhoek  Declaration

• The Declaration of Windhoek is a statement of free press principles as put together by newspaper journalists in Africa during a UNESCO seminar on “Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press” in Windhoek, Namibia, from April 29 to May 3, 1991.

• The 1991 Windhoek Declaration was the subject of a resolution at the 26th session of the UNESCO General Conference, and in 1993, the 48th UNGA session proclaimed May 3 as World Press Freedom Day.

• The 1991 Windhoek Declaration has acted as a benchmark and catalyst for advancing press freedom around the world.

• This Declaration remains more relevant than ever as the freedom of the press and the safety of journalists are increasingly under attack worldwide and new challenges are threatening the freedom to inform and to be informed, both online and offline.

• It inspired regional declarations, raised professional and ethical standards in journalism, paved the way for organisations defending press freedom to flourish, and promoted media legislation reforms and the development of a free, independent and pluralistic media. 

Freedom of expression in the face of the AI revolution

• World Press Freedom Day 2025 focuses on how artificial intelligence (AI) affects press freedom, the free flow of information, media independence, and the global goal of ensuring access to information and protecting fundamental freedoms.

• The rapid growth and use of AI is changing journalism, the media, and press freedom in big ways. 

• While the principles of free, independent, and pluralistic media remain crucial, AI’s impact on information gathering, processing, and dissemination is profound, presenting both innovative opportunities and serious challenges.

• AI can help support freedom of expression by making information easier to access, allowing more people to communicate across the world, and changing how information flows globally.

• It enhances access to information and processing of it, enabling journalists to handle and process vast amounts of data efficiently and create content more effectively. 

• AI tools can improve fact-checking, data visualisation, local and multiplatform adaptation of news content and its translation, streamlining the journalistic process and making information more engaging and accessible.

• At the same time, AI brings new risks. 

It can be used to:

a) Spread false or misleading information.

b) Increase online hate speech.

c) Support new types of censorship. 

• Some actors use AI for mass surveillance of journalists and citizens, creating a chilling effect on freedom of expression. 

• Big tech platforms use AI to filter and control what content is seen, making them powerful gatekeepers of information. 

• There are growing worries that AI may make global media too similar, reduce different viewpoints, and push out smaller media outlets.

• AI might contribute to the homogenisation of the global media landscape, potentially reducing diversity in perspectives, media pluralism, and marginalising smaller outlets.

• AI can also help media organisations by automating tasks, making them more efficient and helping them keep up with demand. 

• But at the same time, the financial health of many media outlets is weakening. Generative AI tools reuse journalistic content without fair payment, taking away income from independent media and giving it to tech platforms and AI companies.

• AI is playing a bigger role in elections, helping with fact-checking and fighting disinformation. 

• It also gives tools to journalists and voters to support informed participation in democracy. But AI also creates risks. It can be used to make fake but realistic content, like deepfakes, which can damage trust in democratic systems. Addressing these challenges requires collaboration among governments, media, and civil society.

• AI also amplifies existing risks for women journalists in the digital landscape. The UN Commission on the Status of Women has identified technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) as a critical global issue, particularly affecting women in public-facing roles like journalism. AI systems can generate deepfakes, doctored images, and disinformation campaigns aimed at discrediting or intimidating women journalists. These AI-driven attacks jeopardise their safety.

• Media outlets are facing how to balance AI use with maintaining good practices and audience trust and engagement. Many have issued codes of conduct stressing respect for audience data, content authenticity, AI use disclosure, transparency, and information integrity.

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