Session
Organizer 1: Private Sector, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Organizer 2: Technical Community, Asia-Pacific Group
Organizer 2: Technical Community, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 1: Raya Sharbain, Technical Community, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 2: Pavel Zoneff, Private Sector, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 3: Monika Ermert, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 4: Laura Zommer, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 5: Ruslan Myatiev, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 2: Pavel Zoneff, Private Sector, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 3: Monika Ermert, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 4: Laura Zommer, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 5: Ruslan Myatiev, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Format
Classroom
Duration (minutes): 90
Format description: This three-part workshop combines multiple modes of interaction and engagement with the participants. Following the expert presentations, we'd like to facilitate individual discussions in targeted breakout discussions before engaging in a large group discussion for collaborative knowledge-sharing. We will need a room with flex seating, and the extended duration will help compensate for the time spent to organize and get together in the breakout groups.
Duration (minutes): 90
Format description: This three-part workshop combines multiple modes of interaction and engagement with the participants. Following the expert presentations, we'd like to facilitate individual discussions in targeted breakout discussions before engaging in a large group discussion for collaborative knowledge-sharing. We will need a room with flex seating, and the extended duration will help compensate for the time spent to organize and get together in the breakout groups.
Policy Question(s)
1. What legal protections should be established or strengthened to shield journalists and their sources when reporting on sensitive topics in repressive environments?
2. What role should public funding play in supporting technological tools that enable secure communication and information access in censored environments?
3. How can digital literacy education initiatives be incorporated into national education policies to build societal resilience against misinformation?
What will participants gain from attending this session? This three-part workshop—combining expert presentations, discussions, and collaborative knowledge-sharing—offers a comprehensive approach to addressing digital access challenges.
Participants will gain practical knowledge and actionable strategies to navigate today's challenging digital information landscape. During the presentation segment, they'll learn about best practices from leading practitioners in journalism, content creation, and free and open-source technology for circumventing censorship and combating misinformation.
The interactive breakout sessions will provide personalized guidance on participants' specific challenges, whether related to digital security, source protection, or tool-enabled content distribution in restricted environments.
The final large group discussion will foster community-building and knowledge sharing across diverse backgrounds and regions. Attendees will leave with enhanced technical skills, stronger networks of like-minded professionals, and concrete tools to implement in their work.
Description:
The Global Risks Report 2025 by the World Economic Forum[1] identifies misinformation and disinformation as the foremost global risk for the next two years. This challenge emerges amid a worldwide shift to online news consumption, where Big Tech monopolizes internet infrastructure, gaining unprecedented access to citizen data that governments eagerly exploit. Today's digital landscape features increasing societal polarization through platform interference, compromised access to verified information, targeting of journalists and sources, and online censorship blocking access to reliable content. Despite these challenges, journalists and content creators are adapting their tactics, while the free and open-source software ecosystem provides improving tools to circumvent censorship and protect privacy. This workshop convenes investigative reporters, activist content creators, and technologists to explore evolving strategies against censorship and platform interference. Experienced practitioners will share insights on combating mis/disinformation, addressing content censorship, and securing technology to protect themselves and their sources. The interactive format creates space for participants to engage with panelists and develop solutions for their own work. This session links to the IGF2025 issue areas of Universal Access and Digital Rights, specifically access as a right and expanding available and affordable access to the Internet, and addressing challenges to overcome digital inequalities related to age, gender, disability, geographic location, language, or economic situation. [1] https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-risks-report-2025/
The Global Risks Report 2025 by the World Economic Forum[1] identifies misinformation and disinformation as the foremost global risk for the next two years. This challenge emerges amid a worldwide shift to online news consumption, where Big Tech monopolizes internet infrastructure, gaining unprecedented access to citizen data that governments eagerly exploit. Today's digital landscape features increasing societal polarization through platform interference, compromised access to verified information, targeting of journalists and sources, and online censorship blocking access to reliable content. Despite these challenges, journalists and content creators are adapting their tactics, while the free and open-source software ecosystem provides improving tools to circumvent censorship and protect privacy. This workshop convenes investigative reporters, activist content creators, and technologists to explore evolving strategies against censorship and platform interference. Experienced practitioners will share insights on combating mis/disinformation, addressing content censorship, and securing technology to protect themselves and their sources. The interactive format creates space for participants to engage with panelists and develop solutions for their own work. This session links to the IGF2025 issue areas of Universal Access and Digital Rights, specifically access as a right and expanding available and affordable access to the Internet, and addressing challenges to overcome digital inequalities related to age, gender, disability, geographic location, language, or economic situation. [1] https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-risks-report-2025/
Expected Outcomes
A resource guide documenting the tools, strategies, and best practices shared during the workshop, which will be published online and freely accessible to all participants and the wider public. Formation of a cross-disciplinary network of practitioners committed to ongoing knowledge exchange and mutual support, facilitated through a secure communication channel established post-workshop. This can result in the creation of a series of follow-up virtual workshops focusing on specific technical skills identified as high-priority needs during the session discussions.
Hybrid Format: While the in-person attendees will break out in groups on-site, the online facilitator will use the allotted time for this exercise to conduct a virtual breakout discussion with the online participants using the same prompts and taking notes of the questions and solutions discussed. When the entire group reconvenes for the knowledge-sharing third portion of the workshop, the online and offline moderator will take turns addressing issues from their respective workshop participants, so that there is a balance between online and offline contributions.