In an era where big tech and AI are posing threats to media freedom and access to reliable information, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media and the Forum for Information and Democracy as its Implementing Partner are launching a new initiative on Media & Big Tech which aims to develop actionable policy guidance for the 57 OSCE participating States.
This initiative seeks to engage a variety of stakeholders to collectively address the complex media dependencies on online platforms, questions of media sustainability in the current information ecosystem, and the promotion of an online environment conducive to pluralism and media freedom.
The process is led by an international and diverse Steering Committee chaired by Dr. Anya Schiffrin, Director of the Technology, Media, and Communications specialization at Columbia University’s School of International Affairs and Prof. Natali Helberger, Professor of Information Law at the Institute for Information Law at the University of Amsterdam.
“I am delighted to be co-chairing the Media and Big Tech initiative. This is a crucial and timely topic and I hope our group will provide useful recommendations for OSCE member states. Protecting quality information and finding ways governments can support it, without impinging on editorial freedom, is one of the key questions of our time”, explains Dr. Anya Schiffrin.
Professor Natali Helberger underlines that “access to, and sustainability of trustworthy quality information is a fundamental right and a critical condition for the functioning of democratic societies. This Media & Big Tech initiative is an opportunity to draw the lessons from years of research and practical experience, and make concrete suggestions on how we can turn (Gen)AI and digitisation into opportunities for media and democracy.”
The Committee further consists of diverse stakeholders from civil society, researchers and the media representatives, notably:
- Amy Brouillette, Director of Advocacy at the International Press Institute (IPI)
- Mira Milosevic, Executive Director of the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD)
- Hanna Möllers, General Counsel of the German Federation of Journalists (DJV, Germany)
- Helle Sjøvaag, Professor for Journalism at the University of Stavanger (UIS, Norway)
- Damian Tambini, Distinguished Policy Fellow/ Associate Professor at the London School of Economics (UK)
- Begaim Usenova, Director of the Media Policy Institute (Kyrgyzstan)
The OSCE and the Forum will be running a series of expert roundtables focused on three main topics, notably:
- Business models, fair compensation and sustainability approaches outside the current platform-driven infrastructure
- Increasing the visibility of quality journalism online: labeling, trust indicators, and media privileges
- Policy measures to tackle existing dependencies and promoting a healthy online information ecosystem, including by ensuring journalistic protections
The Steering Committee held its inaugural meeting today, 2 December 2024, and will publish its policy guidance in spring 2025.
More information about this initiative: www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/581821
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