A new global report by the Observatory on Information and Democracy (OID), titled Information Ecosystems and Troubled Democracy: A Global Synthesis of the State of Knowledge on News Media, AI and Data Governance, provides a meta-analysis of how information ecosystems function across both the Global North and the Global Majority World. It focuses on information integrity (the quality of public discourse), the fairness of political processes, the protection of media freedoms, and the resilience of public institutions.
The report is organized around three core thematic areas, all interconnected by the overarching issue of mis- and disinformation:
- Media, Politics, and Trust
- Artificial Intelligence, Information Ecosystems, and Democracy
- Data Governance and Democracy
The analysis draws primarily from scholarly literature, supported by reports and materials spanning various disciplines and regions. It includes 1,664 selected citations from a broader corpus of over 2,700 sources. The report highlights key insights from seminal research, shedding light on the complex and persistent challenges that have emerged in rapidly evolving information and communication landscapes. The report also offers an interactive library and concept map to aid the search for relevant research and a policy brief addressing political and policy decision-makers and technology companies.
Causes for Troubled Information Ecosystems
The report highlights that the problem of disinformation and related harms cannot be solved solely through content moderation or algorithmic solutions, as the issue itself is systemic.
Power dynamics in the production and distribution of information favor commercial actors, leaving traditional journalism under pressure. When major technology platforms act as gatekeepers, their logic is driven by maximizing engagement, not the reliability of information. Algorithms favor content that evokes strong reactions, often misleading or polarizing.
The above results in barriers to research and access to information: Limited access to platform data, lack of resources, and increasing threats against researchers hinder independent research. Gatekeeping roles need to be strengthened to preserve the integrity of information. Yet another challenge is that legislation struggles to keep up with the pace of technological development. This is because responsibilities and rights related to data use and management are unclear, an especially worrisome phenomenon as it makes it harder to deploy AI responsibly.
Consequence: Troubled Democracies
The report confirms the worldwide observations about a multi-pronged trend towards highly troubled democracies: Disinformation undermines public trust in the media, institutions, and electoral systems. Information overload and contradictory claims may lead to cynicism and withdrawal from political participation. Online discourse and news flows are fragmented into bubbles, making it harder to form a shared reality. Disinformation campaigns systematically question expert knowledge (e.g., science, health, climate), which can jeopardize rational decision-making.
Report Recommendations: Structure Before Surface
The report emphasizes that solutions must focus on structural changes, not just reacting to individual falsehoods or adjusting algorithms. Several recommendations emphasize the goals of EDMO and NORDIS:
- Strengthen the foundations of journalism and independent media actors.
- Improve research independence and access to platform data.
- Establish democratic governance for technology platforms: transparency, accountability, and regulation.
- Promote media, information, and AI literacy, not only as an individual responsibility, but also as various knowledge institutions that must engage and evolve to promote literacies.
As Courtney C. Radsch, expert in AI ethics and the Chair of the OID Steering Committee, notes, this report is not just an academic exercise but a roadmap for policymakers, researchers, and civic leaders committed to preserving and strengthening the democratic potential of our global information ecosystems.
The OID is a part of the Forum on Information and Democracy, an independent non-profit created within the United Nations framework and endorsed by 55 countries worldwide. The initiative is a structural response to the global information chaos threatening democracy, universal freedoms, and the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
On 27 March 2025, several NORDIS members participated in a seminar focusing on the OID information ecosystem report, with the keynote by the report’s editor, Prof. Robin Mansell.