Information in danger

As people’s right to information is coming increasingly under threat, two recent developments on the international stage deserve some comment. Julian Assange has emerged as a symbol of courage and determination to uphold the right to access for common people. A UK High Court decision has recently allowed his extradition to the US, and by doing so has dealt a severe blow to access of information and freedom of media professionals across the world. Assange is the founder of WikiLeaks and the US wants to prosecute him for releasing thousands of classified documents. Earlier there were some concerns for his mental health too. Now the US has won an appeal after giving assurance not to impose strict prison conditions on Assange. This is terrible news for democracy and freedom of speech everywhere. The threats to such freedoms have also come under discussion after Philippines journalist Maria Ressa spoke against US tech giants for fueling a flood of toxic sludge on social media.

Ressa, while accepting this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, said American internet companies are using the power of their technology irresponsibly. She was not off the mark when she highlighted that these companies not only tend to spread lies but also pit people against each other, while bringing out our anger and fear to set the stage for the rise of authoritarianism and despotic rulers around the world. Juxtaposing Assange’s extradition ruling with the speech by Ressa, we get a gloomy picture of the world of news and information. On the one side we have governments and states that do not like to give people access to information; and on the other there is a plethora of information whose authenticity and intentions are dubious. The information world is now marred by hate and violence and there is a need to reduce the toxicity that is spreading across the world.

Unsuspecting citizens around the globe are left with not many options to ascertain the veracity of information that is bombarding them. And if someone like Assange tries to disseminate information that exposes the mighty and powerful, the so-called champions of democracy such as the UK and US themselves target the person who does painstaking work to inform people. Assange and Ressa are setting the standard for journalism; they have faced suppression but have stood their ground. Ressa’s co-laureate Muratov – from Russia – has also called for honouring all journalists killed in the line of duty. As human rights defenders, journalists and media professionals are frowned upon and targeted across the world there is a need for better coordination among civil society organisations and journalists associations so that they appear as a strong body of professionals who are ready to defend their colleagues against an anti-press onslaught in both democratic and not-so democratic countries.