"In many countries, especially outside Europe and the United States, we find a significant further decline in the use of Facebook for news and a growing reliance on a range of alternatives including private messaging apps and video networks. Facebook news consumption is down 4 percentage points, acr
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oss all countries, in the last year.
• News use across online platforms is fragmenting, with six networks now reaching at least 10% of our respondents, compared with just two a decade ago. YouTube is used for news by almost a third (31%) of our global sample each week, WhatsApp by around a fifth (21%), while TikTok (13%) has overtaken Twitter (10%), now rebranded X, for the first time.
• Linked to these shifts, video is becoming a more important source of online news, especially with younger groups. Short news videos are accessed by two-thirds (66%) of our sample each week, with longer formats attracting around half (51%). The main locus of news video consumption is online platforms (72%) rather than publisher websites (22%), increasing the challenges around monetisation and connection.
• Although the platform mix is shifting, the majority continue to identify platforms including social media, search, or aggregators as their main gateway to online news. Across markets, only around a fifth of respondents (22%) identify news websites or apps as their main source of online news – that’s down 10 percentage points on 2018. Publishers in a few Northern European markets have managed to buck this trend, but younger groups everywhere are showing a weaker connection with news brands than they did in the past.
• Turning to the sources that people pay most attention to when it comes to news on various platforms, we find an increasing focus on partisan commentators, influencers, and young news creators, especially on YouTube and TikTok. But in social networks such as Facebook and X, traditional news brands and journalists still tend to play a prominent role.
• Concern about what is real and what is fake on the internet when it comes to online news has risen by 3 percentage points in the last year with around six in ten (59%) saying they are concerned. The figure is considerably higher in South Africa (81%) and the United States (72%), both countries that have been holding elections this year.
• Worries about how to distinguish between trustworthy and untrustworthy content in online platforms is highest for TikTok and X when compared with other online networks. Both platforms have hosted misinformation or conspiracies around stories such as the war in Gaza, and the Princess of Wales’s health, as well as so-called ‘deep fake’ pictures and videos." (Executive summary, page 10)
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"A desinformação ambiental é uma das pautas centrais na propaganda política da extrema-direita brasileira, servindo de argumento para o desmonte da proteção do meio ambiente e o avanço sistemático de atividades extrativistas no Brasil. Em última instância, nossos resultados apontam para a
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necessidade de (1) levar informação confiável à população sobre o extrativismo que acaba com a floresta e com a população indígena, quilombola e ribeirinha; (2) ocupar o deserto de notícias na Amazônia Legal; (3) aumentar o investimento em anúncios em defesa da pauta socioambiental.; e (4) mitigar a desinformação e disseminar contra-narrativas na grande mídia. O estudo também identifica oportunidades de ações para amplificar a visibilidade de lideranças e organizações socioambientais junto à defesa da justiça social." (Apresentação)
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"Desde Venezuela, en pleno siglo XXI, es válida la discusión sobre la necesidad de formular políticas públicas democráticas para las comunicaciones. Partiendo de que cuando se habla de políticas públicas se concibe la posibilidad de prácticas incluyentes, en las que se abra el horizonte de r
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epresentación diversa en la construcción de lo cultural nacional, y ello en la práctica puede estar garantizado por distintos niveles de participación ciudadana en el proceso de concebir, diseñar y ejecutar planes en el sector comunicacional. Una política pública no podría reducirse, en el contexto actual, a garantizar difusión y ampliar la recepción, que aun cuando pueda ser de mensajes concebidos desde otra óptica cultural serían igualmente unilaterales. Es por ello que coincidimos con diversos autores en resaltar la necesaria activación de ejes que desde los distintos escenarios sociales pasen por la experimentación, la apropiación y la invención por parte de los ciudadanos en una relación dialogante con el universo comunicacional, ya que –hasta ahora– solo han tenido la posibilidad de acceso, en el mejor de los casos. Esto requiere que la comunicación sea desplazada desde los medios hacia la mediación y reconocimiento sociales, como sostenía Martín Barbero, fallecido en 2021. Hoy diremos que debe ser entendida más allá de las redes sociales tecnológicas para llevarlas a verdaderas redes sociales de diálogo entre los ciudadanos. Con esta concepción democrática de políticas públicas debemos considerar que cuando hablamos de sociedad hablamos de un conglomerado plural, en el que se incluyen el Estado y sus instituciones, las y los ciudadanos, el mercado y las empresas privadas, el mundo comunicacional comunitario y universitario, así como los partidos, movimientos y organizaciones sociales." (Páginas 197-198)
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"This book showcases the online activism of women's groups around the world in the post-#MeToo era, and presents an overview of the diversity of its current expressions. The focus of this book extends beyond campaigns against rape culture to include women's struggles on other political and environme
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ntal issues, such as the campaign against the radical right-wing in Austria. Moreover, the book's chapters highlight the genuine complexity of the efforts of women activists who are not only challenging the patriarchal order within male-controlled digital platforms but are also challenging the hegemonic voices within the women's movements. The book's case studies attest to the proliferation of digital campaigns aimed not only against discrimination of women but against discrimination based on their color, age, ethnicity, and nationality. The internet helps them to voice their agenda and strive for social change as well as to create both connective and collective identities." (Publisher description)
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"Cultural diplomacy has been one component of China’s foreign policy since its very foundation. However, it is only in recent decades that culture has been wielded as a tool to serve high-reaching goals commensurate with China’s rising superpower status and its capacity to contend for global heg
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emony. This study examines China’s recent efforts to enhance cultural exchanges in multilateral and regional platforms. The primary aim is to analyse the rationale, motivations, main initiatives and strategies underpinning China’s cultural diplomacy based on a conceptual framework centred on the notions of cultural diplomacy and hegemonic transition. The author begins by presenting the guiding conceptual framework and providing an overview of China’s overall cultural diplomacy approach over the last two decades. The analysis then delves into China’s engagement in well-established and new multilateral platforms such as UNESCO, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the BRICS group, and regional forums established between China and developing regions. Shifting the focus to Latin America, the research investigates the China-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) Forum (CCF) as a platform for cultural exchanges and an instrument of China’s cultural diplomacy, and systematizes its cultural initiatives, prioritized areas, key actors involved, and strategies." (Back cover)
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"The essays in this report deepen our understanding of the escalating and evolving threats posed by global authoritarianism. While responses to authoritarian information manipulation have been robust in many ways across Latin America, much more can be done to counter it and enhance the quality of in
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formation available to citizens, particularly around elections. Key lessons include: Authoritarians are increasingly collaborating to undermine democracy [...]; Democratic actors must cooperate to address the speed and scale of the challenge to democracy [...]; Strategic responses to authoritarian information operations are essential." (Pages 3-4)
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"Increased understanding of the root causes, scale, and impact of online harmful content and the effectiveness of the existing frameworks and tools: 10 research reports examining the national legal frameworks governing harmful content [...] Local stakeholders empowered and new cooperation and practi
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cal tools and mechanisms developed to counter harmful content online: 3 National Multistakeholder Coalitions for Content Moderation and Freedom of Expression launched in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) (with 17 stakeholders), Indonesia (with 12 stakeholders), and Kenya (with 30 stakeholders) [...] Enhanced support and promotion of peacebuilding narratives through digital technologies, in particular social media: 194 representatives from 121 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) trained (60 from 20 CSOs in BiH, 50 from 44 CSOs in Kenya, 31 from 20 CSOs in Indonesia, and 53 from 20 CSOs in Colombia) [...]" (Pages 1-2)
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"Hoy más que nunca advertimos la necesidad de una Inteligencia Artificial (IA) que respete los derechos humanos y las perspectivas de los pueblos indígenas, destacando su papel en la preservación de identidades y patrimonios culturales indígenas. Es fundamental democratizar la IA, incluyendo una
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diversidad de voces en su desarrollo y aplicación y este es uno de los grandes objetivos de este reporte. En definitiva, este reporte es una invitación para entender la necesidad de una IA participativa que respete y se enriquezca con la diversidad cultural, convirtiéndose en una herramienta para el desarrollo sostenible y la promoción de libertades fundamentales. Se presenta como un llamado a la acción para incorporar activa y respetuosamente las perspectivas de los pueblos indígenas en la IA, apuntando hacia una futura sabiduría colectiva que honre la riqueza de las experiencias y conocimientos humanos. Todo esto, sobre la base de la Recomendación sobre la Ética en la Inteligencia Artificial de la UNESCO, que funciona como una brújula de orientación ética y un cimiento normativo mundial, que permitirá desarrollar IA al servicio de la sociedad, con especial énfasis a los grupos poblacionales más vulnerables, y respetuosa de los derechos humanos." (Prólogo, página 7)
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"This article offers a brief introduction to digital education policy monitoring. The information is organized into four major interrelated analytical axes: digital inclusion policies; digital policies to enhance the quality of learning; policies focused on students learning digital skills; and poli
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cies focused on digital competencies for teachers. These topics do not cover all the possible dimensions of analysis in the implementation of digital education policies, but they are key elements for sectoral monitoring. After addressing some main concepts, we will describe the availability of data and indicators for each axis and present some of the most relevant challenges we face today." (About this publication)
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"These book’s articles are the result of the First Conference on Digital Literacy, Citizenship and Disinformation in Times of Pandemic, jointly organised by the UNESCO Regional Office in Montevideo, Uruguay, and the Public Defender’s Office of Audience Rights. Five thousand people participated i
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n the event, either following the live streaming or visualising the recordings afterwards [...] The main purpose of the meeting was to bring together researchers, academics, public policy managers, community and private organizations, to share experiences and knowledge on Media and Information Literacy (MIL); to synthesise experiences on MIL development, disinformation and hate speech in pandemics; to systematise the effects of the pandemic on the education system with different actors involved and to prepare proposals for the development of future public policies. Among other results, this meeting led to this book, which we are now pleased to introduce. As a result of this Conference, the Public Defender's Office also carried out a survey with elementary and high school teachers from all over the country, as part of a supporting plan about communication in conventional media and digital platforms. This survey confirmed that a very high proportion of the respondents state they need training on this subject for their work. When confronted with the question “Do you think you need more training in Communication Media and Technologies?” 88.3% of the participants answered affirmatively, and only 11.7% said “no”, according to preliminary results." (Introduction, page 19-20)
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"Over the last year, the Theory of Change (ToC) has guided the MDP’s activities and actions. The Programme has followed a dual approach, reinforcing the capacities of duty-bearers and empowering rights-holders, with a focus on local media stakeholders. The aim of this approach is to create a safe
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and enabling environment for media to thrive at national, regional, and global levels, by improving legislative frameworks and policies relative to freedom of expression, access to information, the safety of journalists, community media, media in crisis preparedness and vulnerable situations, Media and Information Literacy (MIL) and access to information." (Summary)
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"This article applies the concept of cult TV to Brazilian telenovelas. The term cult TV is used to refer to products that were perceived to be different from mainstream popular culture. However, theoretical contexts have started to embrace the notion of a mainstream cult. With the concept of a mains
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tream cult in mind, I will argue that some telenovelas are responsible for occasioning a ritual which forms a national community, and could thus be considered cult for three main reasons: they can acquire nostalgic appeal; they can present aesthetic innovation even within a classic format; and they sometimes engender a type of audience engagement that stands out from other productions. This third reason will be addressed closely from the perspective of the audience, arguing that their opinion on what is a cult should be considered in relation to the academic debate around the concept. Amongst the main results, I highlight the identification of telenovelas as popular productions that may be considered cult TV, and the growing importance of common sense understandings for our consideration of concepts in the field of Communications." (Abstract)
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"The spread of disinformation has been a topic of heightened concern, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the response to a public health crisis relies on the ability for public officials to inform citizens. Using a representative two-wave panel of internet users in Brazil, we examine the
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relationship between pathways to information, WhatsApp use, and the persistence of misinformed beliefs about the pandemic. We find a strong relationship between presidential support, right-wing news sources, and participating in WhatsApp groups with strangers, and becoming more misinformed over time. Conversely, most media diets (traditional news media, social media and WhatsApp for news) had no effect. However, Bolsonaro supporters, using WhatsApp and Facebook for news was strongly associated with increasing and persistent misinformation. Our findings provide further evidence that political leaders undermine a country’s ability to respond to a pandemic insofar as they breed mistrust in other institutions by instrumentalizing public health measures to win political fights." (Abstract)
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"This article analyses the Brazilian PL 2630, so-called “fake news bill,” according to platform regulation approaches focused on speech, data, and market power. This law project was introduced in 2020 with the objective to fight disinformation campaigns in digital platforms such as social media
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and messaging services. After a multistakeholder debate, the latest version of the bill before the 2022 general elections was presented in the Chamber of Deputies. This article argues that the bill takes different stances with regard to those three basic elements. The bill strongly draws on the dimension of speech, establishing requirements for transparency in content moderation following the highest international standards. On data and market power, however, the bill makes no significant progress, with little contribution, for example, to tackling the surveillance-based business model. This way, it does not touch on structural conditions that shape disinformation campaigns, such as the profit motive of digital platforms. It follows a general pattern of platform regulation, leaving structural features untouched and, this way, eventually undermining stronger efforts against online disinformation." (Abstract)
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"Fact-checking journalism has become a common practice to counteract misinformation. This research analyzes the perceptions of fact-checkers in Ibero-America on the purposes, principles, and challenges of fact-checking. Specifically, we studied if there are differences in perception based on adheren
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ce to the International Fact-Checking Network’s (IFCN) Code of Principles, how frequently fact-checkers perform factchecks, as well as their experience and age. Data were collected through a questionnaire that received 122 responses from factcheckers in 17 countries. Results indicate that journalists’ experience appears to be a variable that can help understand the boundaries between fact-checking and political and social activism in Ibero-America. Less-experienced fact-checkers were more likely to consider activism to be a purpose of fact-checking. Age was a predictive factor for explaining reformist perceptions of the essence of fact-checking in Ibero-America, with younger fact-checkers more likely to state that the purpose of fact-checking is to uphold the ideals of journalism and serve as a commitment to information transparency. Pledging to adhere to IFCN’s Code of Principles was found to facilitate the use and analysis of fact-checking tools. The implications of these findings are discussed." (Abstract)
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