The Decline of Press Freedom Globally
- Human Rights Research Center
- 24 hours ago
- 9 min read
Author: Mathilde Guenin, MA
November 4, 2025
View the interactive visual report here on Tableau.
Each year, Reporters Without Borders’ (RSF) Press Freedom Index ranks 180 countries and assigns them a score based on the level of freedom available to journalists and media to report.
The index, which uses a scale from 0 to 100 to analyze countries’ relative press freedom, categorizes countries that rank between 0–40 indicates as in a very serious situation; 40–55 as difficult; 55–70 as problematic; 70–85 as satisfactory; and 85–100 as good.
Since 2013, the Press Freedom Index has shown media freedoms to be declining since 2013. In 2013, 19 countries from the EU and Balkans, one in Asia-Pacific, three in the Americas, and two in Africa were rated as being in a "good situation". By 2025, only seven countries remained in a "good situation", all in Europe.
Similarly, more countries today are classified as in very "serious" or "difficult” situations. In 2013, 16 countries were classified as being in a very "serious situation" – today that number has risen to 42.
Why is Press Freedom Declining?
The Rise of Internet Shutdowns
Since 2016, the number of internet shutdowns – situations in which a country partially or fully bans access to the internet, often under the reason of a national emergency – have increased. In 2016, there were 78 reported annual cases, while in 2024 there were some 296 global internet shutdowns.
Governments use internet shutdowns as a tool to control the flow of information or to “maintain public order”, particularly during conflicts, protests, elections, or even during national exams (Deccan Herald, 2024).
In Myanmar, the military junta uses shutdowns as a method of control to maintain its political power, especially during times of conflict. It does so by restricting the exchange of information, isolating communities, and reducing the possibility of reporting human rights abuses (DW, 2024).
In India, shutdowns have been used by the government during protests and communal violence, but many argue they also serve to control the narrative (Guardian, 2024).
Internet Censorship as a Tool of Power
Alongside internet shutdowns, internet censorship is another tool used to restrict the free flow of information. Among other analyses, Freedom House scores countries on their level of internet freedom. It takes into account obstacles to access, limits on content, and violations of users’ rights. Based on these factors, Freedom House assigns a score between 0 and 100, of which a score of 70–100 indicated free access to the internet ; 40–69: partly free access; and 0–39: not free.
According to Freedom House, global internet freedom declined for 14 consecutive years. This decline can be attributed to increased government control over access to the internet, censorship of non-government approved content, arrests for online speech, and disinformation spread online, especially during elections (Freedom House, n.d).
Declining Trust in Media
Since 1972, Gallup Polls has conducted analyzing American trust in mass media. Their annual surveys ask Americans how much trust and confidence they have in mass media (newspapers, TV and radio) when it comes to reporting the news fully, accurately and fairly, with responses recorded as: a great deal, a fair amount, not very much, or none at all.
Americans' declining trust in the media is difficult to pin to a single source. However, it has been attributed to the explosion of news sources, especially online, that brand themselves as "alternative" to mainstream news channels and papers. The rise of cable news often pushes partisan political agendas, and perceptions of bias in mainstream news during coverage of conflicts and major national news events, such as the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the COVID-19 pandemic, George Floyd protests, and the current Israel-Gaza conflict, have also contributed to this decline in trust.
A similar trend is at play in Europe. In France, for example, only 29% of adults in 2025 say they trust the media most of the time. Concentration of media ownership among French billionaires, which creates the perception that mainstream media is indebted to the interests of those in power, has been a major factor in reducing public trust. A survey by the newspaper Libération shows that just ten billionaires account for 90% of national daily newspaper sales, 55% of television audiences, and 40% of radio audiences in France.
Dangers Faced by Journalists and Media Workers
Across the world, journalists and media workers are under increased threat, primarily from state actors but increasingly also from non-state actors, as global norms protecting journalists from being targeted in conflict or imprisoned for their reporting are weakening. As of today, 537 journalists and 44 media workers are detained, according to RSF. Journalists face especially high risk of imprisonment in authoritarian countries. For instance, the countries with the highest number of journalists in detention are China (115), Syria (69), and Myanmar (60) (RSF, 2025).
Meanwhile, journalists are being killed at increasingly higher rates. Between 2020 and 2025 246 journalists have been killed, the vast majority being Palestinian journalists killed by Israel in Gaza. Ukraine, during Russia’s full-scale invasion, Mexico, India, and the Philippines have also seen double-digit instances of journalists deaths during this period
The decline in press freedom and the weakening of democracy are connected. According to the annual report of the V-Dem Institute, autocracies now outnumber democracies in what is being described as a global wave of authoritarianism. According to V-Dem, 45 countries are moving in an authoritarian direction, including the United States, while only 19 are experiencing democratisation. As more countries shift toward autocracy, journalists are finding themselves at greater risk, facing threats to their freedom, safety, and even lives, creating a new wave of exiled journalists, with hundreds fleeing their countries to report from abroad. (V-Dem Institute, 2025).
News in the Age of Declining Press Freedom
The European Parliament conducted a youth survey and found that young people, especially those aged 16 to 18, rely on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok for news. However, according to Reuters and Euronews, TikTok is a platform flooded with disinformation (Reuters & Euronews, 2024).
Two major issues arise from using platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. First, many young people are receiving their news from influencers, who often lack basic journalistic standards such as fact checking, attributing sources, accurate quotation, and issuing corrections on false or misleading information, contributing to the spread of disinformation, including around elections, physical and mental health, and global conflicts. Today, 50% of Americans use social media or Youtube as their primary source of news, according to the Reuters Institute 2025 Digital News Report. Disinformation spread by influencers about health, for example, can range from claiming that sunscreen causes cancer, or giving untested advice on mental health (The Guardian, 2025).
Secondly, the rise of AI makes it easier to create fake content on these platforms. Photos or videos can be produced in seconds and shared on social media, spreading false information. For instance, Newsguard found 1271 AI-generated news and information sites, often with little to no human oversight (Newsguard, 2025).
Platforms are not only misused by influencers to spread misinformation, but also by governments. For instance, Russia has used social media to spread false information on the war with Ukraine, including casting doubt on abuses committed by the Russian military and its responsibility for civilian deaths. According to Global Right compliance "More than 100,000 social media pages and vast network of popular Telegram channels used to spread false narratives about Ukraine".
Conclusion
Press freedom is declining globally, with censorship, shutdowns, threats to journalists, lack of trust, and economic challenges such as declining revenue. Yet, journalists play a crucial role in fighting disinformation, holding power to account, and preserving democracy. Without them, societies become much more vulnerable to disinformation, abuse of power, human rights abuses, corruption, and more.
In an age of declining trust in media and spreading disinformation, establishing media literacy habits as news consumers is key. Media literacy can help news consumers spot false or misleading information, fact check sources and claims, and verify the motives of those spreading information.
A few key media literacy resources can be found below:
Downloadable version of this visual report is available below.
Glossary
Alternative Media: “Newspapers, magazines, radio stations, or online media which are not corporately owned and which circulate political messages felt to be under-represented in ‘mainstream media’ (seen as geared towards maximizing profits and supporting a ‘free-trade’ agenda)” (Source: Oxford)
Autocracy: a state or society governed by one person with absolute power. (Source: Oxford)
Censorship of the press: "The action of preventing part or the whole of a book, film, work of art, document, or other kind of communication from being seen or made available to the public, because it is considered to be offensive or harmful, or because it contains information that someone wishes to keep secret, often for political reasons." (source: Cambridge Dictionary)
Communal Violence: "Refers to violent conflicts that arise between different religious, ethnic, or cultural communities within a society." (source: Fiveable)
Dictatorship: "Form of government in which one person or a small group possesses absolute power without effective constitutional limitations." (source: Britannica)
Disinformation: "Information that is false, and the person who is disseminating it knows it is false. It is a deliberate, intentional lie, and points to people being actively disinformed by malicious actors." (source: Media Defence)
European Parliament: "It is the only directly elected EU body, and one of the largest democratic assemblies in the world. It is an important forum for political debate and decision-making at the EU level." (source: European Parliament)
Fake News: "False stories that appear to be news, spread on the internet or using other media, usually created to influence political views or as a joke." (source: Cambridge Dictionary)
Influencers: "Individuals who have access to an audience and the ability to affect their audiences' purchasing decisions or opinions regarding a product, service, brand, or experience, due to their authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with that audience." (source: ScienceDirect)
Mal-information: "Information that is based on reality, but it is used to inflict harm on a person, organisation or country." (source: Media Defence)
Media Ownership: "The commercial and legal control of interpersonal and mass communication technologies by individuals, corporations, and/or governments." (source: Oxford)
Military Juntas: "A military group that rules a country after taking power by force." (source: Oxford)
Misinformation: "Information that is false, but the person who is disseminating it believes that it is true." (source: Media Defence)
Online Speech: "A vital component of modern communication, with billions of people around the world sharing their thoughts, opinions, and ideas on various digital platforms." (source: Number Analytics)
Partisan news coverage: "It refers to the practice of media outlets providing news and information that reflects a specific political bias or agenda, favoring one political party or ideology over another. This type of coverage can shape public perception, influence political debates, and affect the checks on presidential power by framing narratives that align with particular political interests." (source: Fiveable)
Press Freedom: "It is the principle that communication and expression through media is a fundamental right. Freedom of the press gives individuals and organizations the right to express, publish, and share information, ideas, and opinions without fear of censorship or government interference. It does not cover things like defamation, hate speech, and incitement to violence." (source: Human Rights Careers)
Survey: "An examination of opinions, behaviour, etc., made by asking people questions." (source: Cambridge Dictionary)
Sources
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Gallup News – Americans' Trust in Media Remains at Trend Low (2025) https://news.gallup.com/poll/651977/americans-trust-media-remains-trend-low.aspx
Deccan Herald – Internet shutdown: India stands second in world (2025) https://www.deccanherald.com/india/internet-shutdown-india-stands-second-in-world-3419700
The Guardian – “A tool of political control”: how India became the world leader in internet blackouts (2023) https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/25/a-tool-of-political-control-how-india-became-the-world-leader-in-internet-blackouts
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