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We are witnessing a profound transformation in the way information is produced, disseminated and consumed, with direct implications for democracy, human rights and freedom of expression. This was underlined by UNESCO during the celebration of the 32nd World Press Freedom Day, commemorated between 6 and 9 May in Chile, with a series of activities promoted together with prominent universities and organisations from the communications ecosystem.

During one week, journalists, academics, students, authorities and representatives of civil society gathered to reflect on the threats and opportunities that communications face today. At the centre of the debate was the advance of artificial intelligence, the impact of disinformation, the safety of journalists, and the urgent need to have democratic governance of digital platforms.

The starting point was the event organised by UNESCO and the University of Chile, which brought together more than a hundred attendees at the Main Campus. There, Esther Kuisch Laroche, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Santiago, was clear in warning that the problem is no longer theoretical: “Artificial intelligence is no longer a future promise, but a reality that is transforming in real time the way information is generated, distributed and consumed. We are concerned about algorithmic bias, the concentration of digital power and threats to fundamental rights.”

In the same space, Ana Cristina Ruelas, Senior Specialist of UNESCO’s Communication and Information Programme, presented the Guidelines for the Governance of Digital Platforms, a document built from a collaborative process that included 134 countries. In conversation with academic Chiara Sáez, the challenge of applying these guidelines in the Latin American context was addressed, where regulatory fragmentation demands joint responses.

On Thursday 8 May, the commemoration moved to the University of Santiago, Chile (USACH), where the seminar Challenges of press freedom and experiences for the safety of journalists in Chile and Latin America took place. The voices of the professional sector, UNESCO and academia made visible, with evidence, digital violence, threats to the free practice of journalism, and the fragility of institutional protection frameworks.

Rocío Alorda, President of the Journalists’ Association, was emphatic in stating that “today, journalistic practice is being questioned and undermined. We need a support network that includes the State, academia, organisations and civil society, to move forward together towards real and sustainable press freedom.”

The end of the week took place at the Faculty of Communications of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, where UNESCO co-organised a meeting focused on the role of research in the face of technological changes in communication.

There, once again, the Director of UNESCO in Santiago highlighted that algorithmic transparency and equity in access to information are challenges that go beyond journalism: “These changes deeply affect democracy and trust in institutions. We need more critical thinking, more research and more joint action,” she indicated.

At the end of the day, Sergio Pinto, Coordinator of the Communication and Information Sector of UNESCO, participated in the panel Insecurity and the practice of journalism in uncertain contexts, in which the risks faced by journalists in Latin America and the Caribbean were addressed, as well as the role of UNESCO in the protection of press freedom and the visibility of attacks on the profession.

“It is fundamental to intensify the efforts of States to apply the three Ps of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity: prevention, protection and prosecution of justice. It is necessary to improve legislation, policies and national action plans, as well as to strengthen State mechanisms to protect journalists,” Pinto underlined.

Authorities also participated in the meeting, such as the Minister of Science, Aisén Etcheverry, and the Under-Secretary-General for Government, Nicole Cardoch, who agreed that addressing these challenges requires multisectoral collaboration and an approach that strengthens democracy and human rights.