Nobel laureate Maria Ressa has warned that big tech platforms have become 'weapons of mass destruction' to democracy, enabling the weaponisation of information at an unprecedented scale. Speaking about the challenges facing democracies, she said Australia sits at a critical juncture and has a chance to lead in building the information infrastructure humanity needs.
Ressa, a Filipino journalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, described the current era as an 'information armageddon' where facts are under assault and truth is being murdered. She noted that without trust, it becomes impossible to govern, and only dictatorships thrive. She pointed to the Philippines as an example where online violence spilled into the real world, affecting elections and policy decisions.
She highlighted that Australia has enacted 82 national security laws since 2001, more than any other country, and that press freedom is not constitutionally guaranteed. Combined with strong defamation laws, this creates a 'perfect storm' for the erosion of press freedom. However, she praised Australia for having conversations about media freedom that many democracies avoid.
Ressa called on Australia to take action, noting that the country has tools others lack, such as a trusted public broadcaster in the ABC. She urged Australia to lead in defending democratic values and building the information infrastructure needed to counter the spread of disinformation.
