Since then, newspapers the world over have run the gamut from government propaganda to liberal-minded editorial freedom. Yet, in the age of digital communications, democratic notions of fairness and balance have been turned on their head by misinformation, disinformation, and fake news.

One of the consequences of this reversal has been the rapid rise of hate speech. In July 2021, the UN General Assembly highlighted its “exponential spread and proliferation” around the world, adopting a resolution on “promoting inter-religious and intercultural dialogue and tolerance in countering hate speech”.

International Day for Countering Hate Speech is celebrated on June 18. This year the Council of Europe is pressing to “Enhance legal and non-legal measures against hate speech through a multi-stakeholder approach”. Special attention will be given to collecting insights into existing knowledge, practices, and challenges.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump has thrown his MAGA cap into the ring with The White House, a digital newsletter whose aim, judging by its content, is to skew public perception against any criticism of the administration’s policies or actions and to flaunt Trump’s America First dictatorship.

Here’s an example from May 12, 2025: “President Donald Trump ripped legacy and establishment media reporters on Monday, saying they refuse to cover the ‘genocide’ taking place against farmers in South Africa.”

Another from May 1, 2025: “Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order ending the taxpayer subsidization of National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).”

And another from April 28, 2025: “Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to enforce federal law with respect to sanctuary jurisdictions to protect their citizens from dangerous illegal aliens.”

The wording aims to deceive. Genocide against farmers in South Africa, but not against Palestinians? Taxpayers “subsidising” public broadcasting which highlights inconsistencies and injustices? Sanctuary jurisdictions protecting “illegal aliens”? Trump’s propaganda machine includes staged White House events, in which briefings by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and statements by Trump’s agent provocateur J.D. Vance are intended to mislead public opinion.

What can be done? According to the United Nations, “As online environments have become echo chambers for hateful rhetoric, strengthening digital literacy as part of global citizenship education has become even more important than ever. Audiences need to know how to critically analyse and counteract hate speech – both offline or online.”

And, as A.G. Sulzberger, publisher of The New York Times, underscored in a recent article, we must support free press and democracy by seeking out news sources worthy of our trust. After all:

“Without a free press, how will people know if their government is acting legally and in their interest? How will people know if their leaders are telling the truth? How will people know if their institutions are acting to the benefit of society? How will people know if their freedoms are being sustained, defended and championed – or eroded by forces that seek to replace truth and reality with propaganda and misinformation?”

Only commonsense and decency can stop the Donald Trumps of this world. Learning to question news and information, reading between the lines, recognising deception, and actively countering hate speech will help.

Photo: Joshua Sukoff/Shutterstock

Writing in The Guardian, US media columnist Margaret Sullivan says Trump “poses a clear threat to journalists, to news organisations and to press freedom in the US and around the world.” She points out that Kash Patel, an American attorney, government official in the first Trump administration and a potential pick for FBI director or attorney general, has said: “We’re going to come after people in the media.” And Project 2025, the conservative 900-page policy “wish list”, includes plans to make it easier to seize journalists’ emails and phone records.

Identifying the main threats posed by a second Trump administration, The Guardian (6 November 2024) says: “In his first term and as a candidate, Trump has consistently attacked the mainstream press and used conservative media for his political purposes… There’s nothing to suggest a re-elected Trump would tone down his aggression.”

The Columbia Journalism Review (6 November 2024) agrees: “Since he entered politics, a decade ago, Donald Trump has castigated journalists for their skepticism and independence, calling the media ‘the enemy of the people’, a ‘threat to democracy’, ‘fake’, and ‘crooked bastards’ whom he vows to prosecute. Now that he has secured a second term, he will be free to make good on his promises.”

Press and media freedom underpin democracy and uphold human rights. At national, regional and local levels, the independent press is the public’s watchdog, activist, and guardian. As the eyes and ears of the public, journalists must be able to report on matters of public interest without fear of arrest or other forms of interference.

Press and media freedom are a fundamental part of the communication rights that guarantee the individual’s and the community’s ability to speak up in public and to be listened to. Communication rights expand freedom of opinion and expression to claim spaces and resources in the public sphere that enable everyone to engage in transparent, informed, and democratic debate.

Recent events in Mexico, Russia, and Gaza have shown that, when censoring and silencing journalists become policy, disappearance and murder are not far behind. For this reason, as well as for democratic accountability, ordinary people everywhere have a duty to defend the communication rights of individuals and communities and the freedom of the independent press.

In practical terms, this means we must continue to speak out – especially on social media – to counter disinformation and misinformation, to be voices that respect facts, human dignity, and human rights. And it means supporting trusted news sources financially, if possible, especially in the face of increasing pressure and threats. We must promote critical media literacy at all levels so that everyone can better sift fact from fiction.

As Robert Reich writes in The Guardian (6 November 2024), “A free nation protects political dissent. A democracy needs people willing to stand up to tyranny. How will we conduct this resistance? By organizing our communities. By fighting through the courts. By arguing our cause through the media.”

Photo: Steve Travelguide/Shutterstock