About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

1 1 (June 21, 2022)

handle is hein.crs/govehwg0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research Service informingj the ieg~Iative debate since 1914 0 June 21, 2022 Global Trends in Democracy and Authoritarianism: Challenges to Press Freedom Some Members of Congress have expressed concern over global challenges to press freedom. According to a recent United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) report, approximately 85% of the world's population experienced a decline in press freedom in their country between 2016 and 2020. Some Members of the 117th Congress have proposed legislation seeking to bolster U.S. foreign policy responses to this trend. Press Freedom and Democracy Erosions in press freedom may be both a contributor to, and a symptom of, current global trends of democratic backsliding and rising authoritarianism. Many experts describe the presence of a free, independent, and pluralistic media sector as an essential condition for genuine and well- functioning democratic governance. They see a free press as critical to holding governments accountable to the public and helping citizens make informed decisions about political leaders and policies. Analysis of recent trends in backsliding democracies has reinforced this view, with efforts to undermine press freedoms identified as a common early indicator of broader democratic breakdown. Within non-democracies, governments appear to have drawn on an evolving playbook for repressing independent sources of information, potentially contributing to the apparent increased durability of modern authoritarian governance. International Frameworks Both the 1948 U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 1976 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights enumerate the right of everyone to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any form of media, regardless of frontiers. The 1991 Declaration of Windhoek on Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press arguably is a landmark statement of free press principles. It states in part that an independent, pluralistic and free press is essential to the development and maintenance of democracy in a nation. The U.N. General Assembly in 1993 proclaimed the anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration, May 3, as World Press Freedom Day. In 2021, UNESCO members (the United States is not currently a member) approved the principles of a new Windhoek+30 Declaration that reaffirms and builds on the original Declaration. Selected Global Challenges Government Censorship and Control. In some countries, particularly those with forms of authoritarian governance, media organizations are unable to operate independent of substantial government control or influence. Even in relatively freer contexts, some governments use legal or regulatory measures that purport to combat issues of public concern (such as terrorism, defamation, or mis/disinformation) that may be so broad as to effectively criminalize or restrict the free expression of individuals and the work of media outlets. In the context of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, for example, some governments appear to be have used a stated need to combat health-related misinformation as a pretext for imposing restrictions on media. The ability of journalists to report information, and of citizens to meaningfully access their reporting, is also affected by trends of receding levels of internet freedom and genuine challenges with disinformation online. Common government efforts to erode freedom of expression online include arrests of individual users, blocks of websites or social media platforms, internet shutdowns or throttling, and the drowning out of independent voices through coordinated disinformation campaigns. Unfair or Distorted Media Environments. In some partially democratic countries, governments, government- aligned actors, or other powerful figures may use legal, economic, or regulatory tools to tilt media environments toward disadvantaging or co-opting critical media outlets and/or favoring pro-government views. Relevant tactics can include, for example, selective or arbitrary application of tax laws or licensing practices, ownership takeovers, unfair distribution of government subsidies or advertising budgets, and expensive and time-consuming lawsuits (often referred to as strategic lawsuits against public participation, or SLAPPs). Experts have raised concerns about the influence of authoritarian governments, particularly China and Russia, on media environments in countries around the world. Media outlets are under financial strain in many countries, making them vulnerable to efforts to impede, influence, or co-opt their work. Harassment and Attacks against Journalists. Journalists around the world can face threats, harassment, imprisonment, physical attacks, or killings for doing their work. According to UNESCO, 400 journalists globally were killed for doing their jobs between 2016 and 2020. Perpetrators-which can include state and non-state actors-typically enjoy impunity, with the vast majority of cases remaining unresolved. While data indicate that the number of journalist killings globally decreased somewhat, instances of journalist imprisonments have been on the rise. Biden Admin istration in itiatives The Biden Administration has emphasized press freedom issues as part of a broader policy, consistent with many prior Administrations, to promote and defend democracy

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most