Media Freedom & Safety of Journalists: Council of Europe Action

🚨 Expert Workshop on “Ten Steps to Counter Disinformation and Promote Information Integrity” 🚨 On 4 July 2025, the Freedom of Expression and CDMSI Division of the Council of Europe hosted an expert workshop at the Council’s Office in Paris. The event focused on consulting with recognised international experts on the development of a policy document aimed at supporting member states in effectively countering disinformation and promoting information integrity. We are grateful to all participants for their valuable insights and contributions, which will be essential in refining the document to ensure its relevance, feasibility, and alignment with Council of Europe legal standards as well as with good practices at both national and international levels. We are grateful to the CDMSI members who joined us, Maja Zaric (CDMSI Chair) and Aneta Gonta; the consultants who developed the initial draft, Konrad Bleyer-Simon and Urbano Reviglio; and the experts who generously participated in the workshop: Bastien Carniel, Sally Broughton Micova, Eileen Culloty, Thomas Haeussler, Damian Tambini, Krisztina Rozgonyi, Joanna Szymańska, Cristian Vaccari, Vitor Tomé, and Giovanni Zagni. More information here: https://go.coe.int/mhyt0 #CouncilOfEurope #Disinformation #InformationIntegrity #MediaFreedom #CDMSI #MediaLiteracy #DigitalGovernance

🔊 Have your say on Generative AI and Freedom of Expression! 🌐🧑💻🎙️ The Council of Europe has opened a public consultation on the draft Guidance Note on the Implications of Generative Artificial Intelligence for Freedom of Expression. 📅 Open: 1 July – 12 August 2025 This Guidance Note will provide non-binding guidance to member States’ policy and legal frameworks, as well as other measures to: ✅ address potential benefits and risks that Generative AI poses to freedom of expression ✅ foster an online environment that supports and promotes free expression ✅ safeguard and empower individuals and communities to exercise their right to freedom of expression 💡 The goal? To ensure the final text reflects the views of a wide range of stakeholders before it's submitted for adoption. 🛠️ The draft was developed by the MSI-AI Committee of Experts, under the responsibility of the Steering Committee on Media and Information Society (CDMSI). 📄 More info on how and how to submit comments 📩 👉 https://go.coe.int/2ffbs #GenerativeAI #FreedomofExpression #CouncilOfEurope #HumanRightsOnline #PublicConsultation 

🔊 Have your say on online safety and user empowerment! 🌐🧑💻🎙️ The Council of Europe has opened a public consultation on the draft Committee of Ministers Recommendation on online safety and empowerment of content creators and users. 📅 Open: 27 June – 8 August 2025 This recommendation will provide non-binding guidance to member States policy and legal frameworks, as well as other measures to: ✅ address risks to online safety in a human rights framework ✅ foster an enabling online environment that promotes the enjoyment of human rights ✅ promote the safety empowerment of users online 💡 The goal? To ensure the final text reflects the views of a wide range of stakeholders before it's submitted for adoption. 🛠️ The draft was developed by the MSI-eSEC Committee of Experts, under the responsibility of the Steering Committee on Media and Information Society (CDMSI). 📄 More info on how and how to submit comments 📩 👉 https://go.coe.int/LiCZb #OnlineSafety #UserEmpowerment #DigitalRights #ContentCreators #CouncilOfEurope #HumanRightsOnline #PublicConsultation #DigitalPolicy #FreedomOfExpression #MSIeSEC #CDMSI

 📢 25 June  🕧12:45–14:00 👉 Watch Online: 🎥💻: https://shorturl.at/ULmZf 🎙️ Open Forum organised by the Council of Europe 🤖📰 "AI and Disinformation: Countering the Threats to Democratic Dialogue" 🔍 A deep dive into the challenges AI-generated disinformation poses to democracy, and the role of platforms in both the problem—and the solution. ☝️ Key Questions: ❓ What challenges does the use of AI in generating and spreading disinformation pose to democratic dialogue and the quality of public debate—especially when false content is shared at scale or in good faith? ⚖️ How can policymakers, digital platforms , and other stakeholders 🤝 implement practical, human rights-compliant solutions—like fact-checking mechanisms, platform design tools, and 💡 user empowerment strategies—to counter AI-driven disinformation? 🔄 In what ways can AI be used both to combat and 📢 amplify disinformation? And how can cross-sector collaboration help ensure the responsible use of generative tech while supporting 📰 quality journalism and trust in public information? ▶️ https://shorturl.at/2nUJG  

🌐 Council of Europe at the 20th United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) #IGF2025 📍 Lillestrøm, Norway | 23–27 June 2025 🌍 With over 10,000 participants from 175+ countries and 200+ sessions, the 20th UN Internet Governance Forum—hosted by the Government of Norway—will be a global hub for shaping the future of digital governance. The Council of Europe will be there to actively contribute to the dialogue on human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in the digital age. #IGF2025 Schedule | Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 🗓️ Key highlights: 📢 23 June 1. 🔹 High-Level Panel: "Losing the information space? Ensuring fundamental rights and resilient societies in the age of #BigTech" 🕓 16:00–17:30 | with Deputy Secretary General Bjorn Berge 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dpBePzBm 2.🔹 Focused Discussion: "Advancing Equality and Inclusion in #AI" 🕝 14:20–14:40 | On safeguards, remedies, and inclusive engagement to protect against discrimination in AI systems. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/d2mwVYm9 📢 25 June 3.🎙️ Open Forum organised by the Council of Europe: "AI and Disinformation: Countering the Threats to Democratic Dialogue" 🕧 12:45–14:00 A deep dive into the challenges AI-generated disinformation poses to democracy, and the role of platforms in both the problem—and the solution. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dc_8eCyh 🖥️ All sessions are livestreamed! 🤝 Join us online in shaping digital spaces that protect human rights, promote equality, and strengthen democratic resilience. #IGF2025 #AI #Disinformation #DigitalGovernance #BigTech #FreedomOfExpression #InternetGovernance

🔵 “Democracy is a lifestyle – not just a system.” At the Hackathon for Democracy, an inspiring and action-driven event under the New Democratic Pact of the Council of Europe, Maja Zaric, Chair of the Steering Committee on Media and Information Society (CDMSI), delivered a simple, clear message: We must practice democracy every day – in our policies, platforms, and digital lives – and ensure that young people want it. 🗣️ “We need to rebrand democracy for the next generation — to make it engaging, inclusive, and worth choosing.” 🎯 In her intervention, Maja Zaric highlighted how the CDMSI: ✔️ Advises the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers on emerging media and digital threats ✔️ Leads inclusive standard-setting across 46 member states and 20+ observers ✔️ Promotes media freedom, pluralism, gender equality, media and information literacy, safety of journalists and democratic resilience 📌 CDMSI connects technical expertise with democratic renewal. All its work is open for public consultation — because participation is the foundation of democracy. ⚖️ Tackling today’s threats — disinformation, polarisation, declining trust — isn’t just about regulation. It’s about rebuilding the public’s belief in democracy, especially among youth who feel excluded or disillusioned. As the CDMSI Chair reminded us: 🧭 “High standards must lead to real action. Every space we inhabit online or offline shapes democracy.” 💡 The Hackathon brought together changemakers from tech, civil society, academia, member States and beyond to co-create democratic solutions for the digital age. #Democracy #YouthEngagement #MediaFreedom #CDMSI #CouncilOfEurope #HackathonForDemocracy #FreedomOfExpression #DigitalDemocracy #ReykjavikPrinciples #MediaLiteracy #Disinformation #NewDemocraticPact #FutureOfDemocracy #RebrandDemocracy

🛑 “Old Habit, New Fronts: Tackling Hate Speech Against Journalists” 📍 Strasbourg, CDMSI/No Hate Speech Week 2025 At the heart of this year’s #NoHateSpeech Week, the Council of Europe held a pivotal seminar addressing hate speech targeting journalists and other media actors — a growing threat that undermines democracy and media freedom across Europe. Hosted within the framework of the Steering Committee on Media and Information Society (CDMSI) Plenary and as part of the Council of Europe’s #journalistsmatter Campaign, the event brought together member States’ representatives, journalists, experts, academics, and national focal points. 🗣️ Jean-Paul Marthoz, Dr. Sejal Parmar, Espen Brynsrud, Marija Babic and Camille Regache exchanged with participants to assess the impact of hate speech against journalists and other media actors, highlighted legal and non-leagl measures of the CM/Rec (2022) 16 on Combating Hate Speech, shared national and regional responses, reflected on gender and LGBTI dimensions and charted a path toward greater protection and accountability. 🔍 This year’s seminar flipped the lens: not only exploring how media report on hate speech, but also how they endure it. It affirmed the Campaign’s call: Hate speech against journalists is an attack on democracy itself. Let’s act together — across sectors and borders — to protect those who hold power to account. #journalistsmatter #MediaFreedom #NoHateSpeech #HumanRights #SafetyOfJournalists #CouncilOfEurope #FreedomOfExpression #CDMSI #Strasbourg #StopHate

✍️ Journalists Matter. So does their safety. In an increasingly hostile environment for media professionals, the Council of Europe launched the #JournalistsMatter campaign in October 2023 — a strong call to promote press freedom and enhance the protection of journalists across its member States. Rooted in the Council of Europe’s 2016 Recommendation on journalist safety, the campaign is more urgent than ever. The 2025 Report by the Secretary General, Towards a New Democratic Pact for Europe (https://go.coe.int/y48DE), confirms that institutional responses to threats and violence remain largely ineffective — putting press freedom in a fragile state. 🎯 Goal: to mobilise member States to take real, coordinated action to ensure journalists can report freely and safely. ➡️ Free journalism is not a luxury. It’s the cornerstone of democracy. Let’s protect those who inform us, challenge us, and ultimately serve the public interest. 📣 Join the campaign, take action, and spread the word: #JournalistsMatter https://go.coe.int/EQMZc

📍 Skopje, North Macedonia 🗓️ 11 June 2025 🟡 The #journalistsmatter campaign was in focus at a recent workshop held on 11 June at the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MoIA) Training Center in Idrizovo, as part of the joint EU–Council of Europe programme Protecting Freedom of Expression and Freedom of the Media in North Macedonia (PRO-FREX). 📢 The Campaign was presented by the North Macedonian Campaign Focal Point who also announced plans to create a National Committee for the Safety of Journalists and the development of a National Action Plan in cooperation with the Council of Europe’s Programme Office in Skopje. 🛡️ The workshop aimed to strengthen police capacities to protect journalists—focusing on safety standards, gender-based violence, and online harassment. Council of Europe experts shared legal, procedural, and institutional approaches in line with European standards and the European Court of Human Rights. 🤝 MoIA representatives from public relations units participated in interactive sessions, offering insights and proposing actionable steps to improve journalist protection. ✅ As a key outcome, focal points for journalist safety will be appointed within local internal affairs sectors, setting the groundwork for a more systematic and coordinated response. 🔄 Additional training sessions are planned to build on this momentum and reinforce the commitment to protecting journalists and upholding media freedom. 👉More on this: https://shorturl.at/Ufs1Q #journalistsmatter #FreedomOfExpression #HumanRights #PROFREX #CouncilOfEurope #EU #MediaFreedom #SafetyOfJournalists #Skopje #NorthMacedonia

Promoting journalists' safety in Albania 🤝 📍Tirana, Albania – today, the Council of Europe representatives participated in a high-level roundtable dedicated to strengthening the safety and protection of journalists — an essential pillar of 🗞️ media freedom and 🗳️ democratic resilience. 💡📄As part of the discussions, the 🛡️ #journalistsmatter Campaign was presented, with a proposal to align its goals with the Open Dialogue Platform, a joint EU–Council of Europe initiative. This platform brings together government institutions, regulatory bodies, media professionals, civil society, academia and others to address challenges in the field of media freedom and contribute to Albania’s progress under Chapter 23 of its EU accession negotiations. 🧷✍️The proposal to institutionalise this dialogue was welcomed by several key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Justice of Albania, media associations such as SCiDEV and ResPublica, and representatives of the EU Delegation. ✨ This approach aligns with the Campaign’s objective of supporting National Coordination Committees across the region — translating principles into practice. 📋📊 🔄 Ongoing dialogue and cooperation can continue to shape this vision into action — because safer conditions for journalists mean stronger democracies. ➡️ Learn more about Council of Europe ongoing work on the safety of journalists in Albania: https://shorturl.at/akoE5 #journalistsmatter #MediaFreedom #SafetyOfJournalists #CouncilOfEurope #WesternBalkans #Albania #HumanRights #OpenDialogue #FreedomOfExpression #RuleOfLaw