Maria Ressa is a household name in international journalism. In the era of fake news, she remains at the forefront of rallying the collective call to fight for the truth. She exposed widespread constitutional aberrations and human-rights violations perpetrated by the Government of the Philippines – and was found designed to suppress press freedom.
She battles each day to ensure that the rights of journalists are protected, promoted and preserved. And she does so with an innate sense of purpose and a charismatic smile. In Ressa, we see a woman who has dedicated her life to her profession with a firm commitment towards democracy and the rule of law. And for this and much more – she deserves our unwavering gratitude and support.
On October 20, students at the Max Bell School of Public Policy had the opportunity to interact with the Filipino-American Nobel Prize winning journalist Maria Ressa who was invited to Montreal to deliver the 68th Beatty Lecture at ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ University. Prior to delivering her Beatty Lecture titled "The Battle for Facts: Critical for a Sustainable Future", Ressa, along with prominent Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, engaged with students at the Global Governance of Online Harms Conference – organized by the Max Bell School and its Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy led by Professor Taylor Owen, and the Centre for International Peace and Securities Studies led by Professor Jennifer Welsh.
A seasoned journalist at CNN with over 30 years of experience working in Southeast Asia, Ressa co-founded the Manila-based online media platform Rappler in 2012 and has been a vocal critic of the establishment elite in the Philippines – including former President Rodridgo Duterte. Rappler as a veiled policy agenda to crack-down on political dissent through the – resulting in human-rights violations and the systematic degradation of the rule of law in the Philippines. In her conversation with students, Ressa tasked the future generation of policy leaders to seek answers to what is increasingly becoming a central concern of the 21st century – what should democracy and civil engagement look like in an age of exponential lies?
Ressa stressed the impending need for the development of institutional frameworks and legislative language to clamp down on fake news and to hold powerful social media platforms accountable for their inaction. When questioned about attempts made to discredit her work and the constant abuse she faces online, Ressa humbly reminded attendees that she is not alone in this fight. Her colleagues and journalists around the world face persistent threats, harassment and attacks via targeted disinformation campaigns and in other cases, through physical acts of intimidation and violence – a point resoundingly highlighted in published by the International Federation of Journalists.
The rise of populist narratives and right-wing nationalism has been unequivocally aided by a chaotic information ecosystem – and threatens the foundational structures of liberal democracies. Maria Ressa poignantly underscored her anxiety regarding the increasing illiberal trends across human society in recent years – warning that hostility directed towards the media landscape from authoritarian, populist and despotic actors, represented a symptom of a much larger societal problem. Entities which have adopted a cohesive strategy of dividing communities as a means of attaining political traction, pose a categorical threat to global democracy as we know it – doing so through a combination of state-sponsored disinformation campaigns and simultaneous institutional efforts to curb press freedom. She was, of course, accurate in her assessment.
According to a recent Freedom House report, the number of people living in societies which are considered free, have declined by – implying that the suppression of fundamental rights under the framework of draconian institutional tools, have accelerated a process of global de-democratization. The world is as such, in its final two minutes of democracy – with Ressa signaling that fake news was spreading much faster than facts across social media platforms. With approximately 30 elections slated to be held in the next two years – notably in politically volatile nations such as India and the United States of America – there is a natural apprehension that the integrity of free, fair, credible and inclusive electoral exercises will be compromised at the hands of opportunistic political actors. The weaponization of the digital space is an unavoidable and recurring public policy concern – and one which represents a momentous challenge for policy practitioners.
In reflecting on her journey, Ressa reminded students of the imminent possibility of her landing in prison in the foreseeable future. She is currently appealing her conviction to the Supreme Court in the Philippines and chooses to do so in the spirit of standing up against those wishing to suppress press freedom. Yet with a smile on her face, she demands that we fight in the same way that journalists have within this cynical atmosphere. Fighting for the truth by engaging people in a collective quest to protect democratic principles and challenging those who spread lies, is the central message positioned by someone who is not simply a universally respected Nobel Laureate, but one whose life is a lesson in hope, persistence and courage for any individual seeking to build a career in public policy.
The reality is that the antagonism expressed towards Ressa is mirrored across different parts of the world with constitutional censorship, harassment towards female journalists, and decreasing trust in mass media outlets posing an existential threat to press freedom and by definition, to global democracy. The 20th World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders exposed intensified by a chaotic information ecosystem – indicating that media polarization has not simply fuelled tensions within countries, but between nations as well. In such an environment where traditional press outlets and journalists are challenged not only via governments which seek to censor them – but within a framework where polarization is a prima facie tool during electoral cycles – Ressa is accurate in signing the death warrant for democracy. We should be profoundly concerned.
Maria Ressa’s journey remains incomplete and uncertain. She has committed to continue fighting for press freedom, displaying courage and restraint in spite of a potential prison sentence. Her story is a reminder of just what is at stake for journalists and activists around the world if democracy is not protected. We must therefore lend our support to the likes of Ressa and remain vigilant to the danger of online harms if we want to have concrete hope of sustaining democratic values and principles around the world.
About the Authors
and are the student editors of – the student-run newsletter at the Max Bell School of Public Policy. Aftab and Gianna are candidates in the Master of Public Policy program with the Max Bell School of Public Policy at ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ University. They can be reached at maxbellnewsletter [at] gmail.com.
