Global Press Freedom at Critical Low as Journalists Endure Escalating Threats
Journalists worldwide are facing unprecedented dangers in 2025, as the state of global press freedom reaches its lowest point in decades. According to the latest World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the global average score has dropped to 55, marking a new historic low. For the first time, RSF has rated the conditions for journalism as “difficult” or “very serious” in over half of the world’s countries, with only a quarter of nations considered to have satisfactory environments for media professionals.
Physical attacks, arbitrary detention, and smear campaigns against journalists have surged, particularly in conflict zones and authoritarian states such as China and Russia, which maintain some of the world’s harshest anti-media systems. In Western democracies, including the United States, watchdog groups have raised alarms over increasing hostility toward independent journalism, citing actions that restrict access, demonize reporters, and undermine fact-based news reporting.
Digital threats compound the crisis. The rise of spyware, attacks on encryption, and the weaponization of cybercrime laws are being used to silence journalists and human rights defenders. Online platforms have seen a spike in disinformation, while fact-checking programs are being dismantled, further eroding public trust in media. Economic pressures—such as ownership concentration, advertiser influence, and cuts to public funding—have created an insidious environment where reliable journalism struggles to survive.
Advocacy groups and media watchdogs are urging governments and international organizations to enact stronger protections for journalists. They emphasize that press freedom is fundamental to democracy and the rule of law, warning that the continued decline threatens the free flow of information and the public’s right to know.
As the world marks World Press Freedom Day, the call for urgent action grows louder. The situation underscores the essential role of a free and independent press in holding power to account and safeguarding human rights in an increasingly turbulent global landscape.