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Forum on Information and Democracy @foruminfod.bsky.social · Jul 3

A new threat for media sustainability is joining the list: the rise of AI tools to answer search engine questions is drastically reducing clicks to news sites, as Carolina Martinez Elbi reports in her latest piece for OBSERVACOM.

Google's AI reduces media traffic and worsens their sustainability - Observacom

By Carolina Martínez Elebi, associate researcher at OBSERVACOM. The implementation of tools like AI Overviews and AI Mode in Google Search—two chatbots that answer search engine users’ questions—is tr...

www.observacom.org

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Forum on Information and Democracy @foruminfod.bsky.social · Jul 2

We’re ready to work with all stakeholders seeking greater transparency.

The research priorities from our Information Ecosystems and Troubled Democracy report can help guide future data access requests. 👇

Information ecosystems and troubled democracy: Research Priorities - OID

A Global Synthesis of the State of Knowledge on News Media, AI and Data Governance

observatory.informationdemocracy.org

Forum on Information and Democracy @foruminfod.bsky.social · Jul 2

The Forum congratulates this step and calls upon researchers to seize the opportunity and on DSCs to support the study of systemic risks.

We had submitted a collective response to the consultation process last December. 👇

The Forum, alongside 50 NGOs and researchers, urges the European Commission to prioritize the public interest in shaping data access provisions - Forum Information & Democracy

informationdemocracy.org

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Forum on Information and Democracy @foruminfod.bsky.social · Jul 2

🔴 Important milestone for tech accountability:

The European Commission adopts the delegated act enabling vetted researchers to access data from very large online platforms and search engines.

Article 40.8 can now be implemented!

digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/comm....

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Reposted by Forum on Information and Democracy

Social Media Lab @socialmedialab.ca · Jun 30

"How AI chatbots are delivering health lies to 'millions'" www.9news.com.au/national/ai-...

How AI chatbots are delivering health lies to 'millions'

www.9news.com.au

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Forum on Information and Democracy @foruminfod.bsky.social · Jul 1

At the Forum, we're working exactly on that:

How to design smart rules for private messaging platforms, to address public uses, protect users, all the while respecting privacy rights.

Are private messaging platforms the blind spot of the fight against disinformation? - Forum Information & Democracy

On June 3, 2025, the Partnership for Information and Democracy held the second meeting of its workstream on “Strengthening Information Integrity on Private Messaging Platforms”, led by Ukraine and Lux...

informationdemocracy.org

Forum on Information and Democracy @foruminfod.bsky.social · Jul 1

At the same time, French media outlet Le Monde just issued an article underlining how teens are using WhatsApp channels to reach tens of thousands, away from parents and moderation.

A "private space" used publicly.

Sur WhatsApp, le monde parallèle des ados devenus influenceurs à l’insu de leurs parents

Retranchés derrière l’onglet « Actus » de la messagerie, relativement méconnu, de nombreux adolescents, parfois très jeunes, ont ouvert leur propre chaîne. Dans ces espaces à la fois intimes et ouvert...

www.lemonde.fr

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Forum on Information and Democracy @foruminfod.bsky.social · Jul 1

WhatsApp is adding ads and turning into a full social media platform - with channels, communities and public features.

But it's still regulated like a private chat app.

Our colleague Mariana Olaizola Rosenblat explains why that could become a problem.

bhr.stern.nyu.edu/quick-take/a...

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Forum on Information and Democracy @foruminfod.bsky.social · Jun 26

#Australia: Yet nother example that we cannot rely on platform goodwill to compensate news publishers.

Last week, Google followed Meta’s lead by ending funding agreements with several outlets, leaving them in financial uncertainty and underscoring the urgent need for sustainable solutions.

Google ditches million-dollar deals with publishers amid Labor inaction

The search giant has told several small news outlets that it will not honour an agreement that was to expire in 2027, as it reconsiders how it pays for content.

www.afr.com

Forum on Information and Democracy @foruminfod.bsky.social · Jun 24

Happening soon!

We are at the Internet Governance Forum, in Oslo, with the United Nations, to contribute in discussions for a just digital future, and deepen our engagement in strengthening trustworthy climate info.

🔵 Join us live today, at 15:30 CET:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhXR...

Reposted by Forum on Information and Democracy

EU DisinfoLab @disinfo.eu · Jun 23

🚨 #HEAT is rising! 🌡️🌍

Today we launch HEAT, a cross-border investigation into how #ClimateDisinfo is coordinated, embedded & amplified.

Disinfo isn’t fringe. It’s systemic.

💡 Read the report🔗 www.disinfo.eu/heat-harmful...

💙 @logicallyfacts.com
#DSA #CIB #FIMI #disinformation #disinfo #EMIFund

HEAT: Harmful Environmental Agendas & Tactics - EU DisinfoLab

This report presents the final findings of the HEAT project, which investigated climate-related misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation (MDM) across Germany, France, and the Netherlands.

www.disinfo.eu

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Forum on Information and Democracy @foruminfod.bsky.social · Jun 24

Private messaging platforms can no longer be regulatory blind spots.

As they are inscreasingly used to spread disinformation, foreign interference & propaganda, urgent policy responses are needed.

Our Workstream is addressing this with expert-backed solutions.

🔗 Tap the link below to learn more.

Are private messaging platforms the blind spot of the fight against disinformation? - Forum Information & Democracy

On June 3, 2025, the Partnership for Information and Democracy held the second meeting of its workstream on “Strengthening Information Integrity on Private Messaging Platforms”, led by Ukraine and Lux...

informationdemocracy.org

Forum on Information and Democracy @foruminfod.bsky.social · Jun 20

🌍 🇺🇳 The Forum is delighted to announce its participation in the UN Climate Meetings in Bonn, Germany, on June 21!

Forum’s ED @camillegrenier.bsky.social will take part in the COP30 Presidency’s special event, helping to bring info integrity to the heart of climate negotiations 🌿

Forum on Information and Democracy @foruminfod.bsky.social · Jun 19

🌿🚨 The greatest barrier to climate action may not be a lack of scientific knowledge, but the global spread of misinformation that targets public trust and political will,

says latest assessment by the International Panel on the Information Environment.

Information Integrity about Climate Science: A Systematic Review

Synthesis Report - Information Integrity about Climate Science: A Systematic Review

www.ipie.info

Forum on Information and Democracy @foruminfod.bsky.social · Jun 17

🇱🇧 Our partner Maharat Foundation just released Part 2 of its groundbreaking study on information integrity in Lebanon - the first of its kind in the country.

After mapping disinformation in the Lebanese media landscape, this new chapter focuses on media pluralism and its challenges.

Media Pluralism in Lebanon: Between Political Influence and the Promise of Reform | Maharat Foundation

Media Pluralism in Lebanon: Between Political Influence and the Promise of Reform

maharatfoundation.org

Reposted by Forum on Information and Democracy

Nicolas Henin 🇪🇺💙💛 @nicolashenin.net · Jun 17

Le volume de contenus nocifs, y compris haineux, a augmenté sur les plateformes de Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Threads...) aux Etats-Unis depuis que l'entreprise y a cessé ses activités de fact-checking et assoupli sa politique de modération des contenus, selon une enquête publiée lundi.

Meta: davantage de contenus nocifs aux Etats-Unis depuis l'arrêt du fact-checking, selon une enquête

Le volume de contenus nocifs, y compris haineux, a augmenté sur les plateformes de Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Threads...) aux Etats-Unis depuis que l'entreprise y a cessé ses activités de fact-checkin...

www.france24.com

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Forum on Information and Democracy @foruminfod.bsky.social · Jun 10

Contribution opportunity for German-speaking researchers 🇩🇪

The Media Structures Network is calling for abstracts on epistemic governance and public interest-oriented media platforms, ahead of a workshop at @unimainz.bsky.social.

Deadline: 15 August

More info 👇

Workshop 2025 des Netzwerks Medienstrukturen | Medienkonvergenz

www.medienkonvergenz.ifp.uni-mainz.de

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Reposted by Forum on Information and Democracy

Open Gov Partnership @opengovpartnership.org · Jun 4

🧠 From budget tracking in Nigeria to fact-checking in Estonia, #civictech is proving that #AI can amplify journalism, not replace it.

Read as OGP CEO, Aidan Eyakuze, calls for bold action to ensure AI strengthens democracy and press freedom.

🔗 thechanzo.com/2025/05/26/j...

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Forum on Information and Democracy @foruminfod.bsky.social · Jun 5

On the occasion of World Environment Day, the Forum joins its partners in calling for urgent action to protect information integrity on climate and environmental issues.

From one ecosystem to another, we must act urgently.

Read our statement ⬇️

From one ecosystem to another, protecting information integrity and the environment - Forum Information & Democracy

On the occasion of World Environment Day, the Forum on Information and Democracy joins its partners in calling for decisive action to promote and protect information integrity on climate change […]

informationdemocracy.org

Forum on Information and Democracy @foruminfod.bsky.social · Jun 3

📢 If you're passionate about defending democracy in the digital age, this opportunity might be for you!

The Forum is recruiting a Dev. & Resource Officer to continue expanding the promotion of democratic standards in the digital space around the world.

🔗 informationdemocracy.org/wp-content/u...

Forum on Information and Democracy @foruminfod.bsky.social · Jun 2

💬 “The US’s aggressive new fusion of tech and politics provides a strong impetus for Europe to create an alternative social media infrastructure.”

A new paper by Prof. @susanly.bsky.social builds on recent work published by the Forum, urging the EU to create its own social media ecosystem 👇

Opinion: Why Europe needs its own social media ecosystem

UCD’s Prof Susan Leavy and colleagues make the case for an indigenous social media ecosystem in Europe to counter the dominance of US Big Tech.

www.siliconrepublic.com

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Forum on Information and Democracy @foruminfod.bsky.social · Jun 2

If you haven't had the time to dive into our 250-page landmark report, no problem.

You can now listen to the key takeaways on Tech Policy Press Podcast 👇

Tech Policy Press @techpolicypress.bsky.social · Jun 2

Earlier this year, the Observatory on Information and Democracy released a report called INFORMATION ECOSYSTEMS AND TROUBLED DEMOCRACY: A Global Synthesis of the State of Knowledge on News Media, AI and Data Governance. Justin Hendrix spoke to Robin Mansell and Courtney Radsch about its findings.

Assessing the Relationship Between Information Ecosystems and Democracy's Woes | TechPolicy.Press

Robin Mansell and Courtney Radsch discuss the Observatory on Information and Democracy report "Information Ecosystems and Troubled Democracy."

www.techpolicy.press

Forum on Information and Democracy @foruminfod.bsky.social · May 28

🇦🇲 At the #YerevanDialogue, information integrity took center stage, not just as a media issue, but as a geopolitical priority.

The Forum co-hosted key discussions on digital governance and environmental disinformation, ahead of #Armenia’s presidency of COP17 on Biodiversity.

Armenia and the geopolitics of information integrity - Forum Information & Democracy

On the occasion of the second edition of the Yerevan Dialogue, the Forum on Information and Democracy and the Armenian government organised a series of discussions on information integrity. While […]

informationdemocracy.org

Forum on Information and Democracy @foruminfod.bsky.social · May 27

🔵 Day 2 at the #YerevanDialogue in 🇦🇲 Armenia, with a spotlight on environmental disinformation.

Today, the Forum is hosting a special session of its dedicated workstream, led by the Government of Armenia.

Forum on Information and Democracy @foruminfod.bsky.social · May 26

Tune in at 16:50 (UTC+1) for our live panel on defending information integrity in complex settings.

@camillegrenier.bsky.social, the Forum’s ED, will moderate the discussion.

🔗 Watch live: www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1N0...

Yerevan Dialogue: Navigating the Unknown | Live Streaming: Blue Hall

YouTube video by Yerevan Dialogue

www.youtube.com