Maria Ressa warns social media is ‘demolishing democracy’ at Athens forum

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa warned connected Friday that κοινωνικά media is eroding democracy, describing platforms arsenic “democratic demolishing machines” that amplify fear, anger, lies and hatred.

Speaking astatine the Athens Democracy Forum 2025, Ressa, co-founder and CEO of Rappler, said 72% of the world’s colonisation present lives under authoritarian rule. She highlighted the dangers posed by unverified information, wars and profit-driven virtual manipulation, noting that “in Gaza alone, 200 journalists person mislaid their lives trying to speak the truth – a fig astir equivalent to those who died successful World War Two, Vietnam and different conflicts of the 20th and 21st centuries.”

‘If journalism dies, ideology dies’

Ressa outlined three planetary challenges: the conflict for truth and trust, quality bureau under algorithmic influence, and accusation integrity. She projected solutions including reimagining journalism to service the public, holding technology companies accountable, and investing globally successful systemic reforms.

In a treatment pursuing her speech with Farah Nayeri, civilization analogous astatine The New York Times, astir her '22 publication “How to Stand Up to a Dictator?”, Ressa spoke of her idiosyncratic persecution successful the Philippines, emphasizing that she remains committed to defending democracy. “If journalism dies, ideology dies,” she said. “I americium optimistic that the atomic weaponry of κοινωνικά media, which has exploded successful the accusation world and caused an ‘Armageddon,’ will not stop the combat for state of speech and democracy,” she added.

The four-day lawsuit was organized by the Democracy and Culture Foundation successful relation with The New York Times and concludes connected Friday.