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.

In late March 2025, DECA hosted a visit from the report's editor, Professor Robin Mansell (London School of Economics, Professor Emerita), who discussed the report's background, process, and key outcomes. 

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 toward 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.

Related Finnish research

On 27 March, Prof. Mansell and a selected group of Finnish researchers discussed their work and their views on the report. Pauliina Penttilä (University of Tampere) discussed datafication and the changing facets of journalistic professionalism. Tuija Aalto (University of Tampere) elaborated on the theme with a presentation on social media influencers collaborating with legacy media. Stefanie Sirén-Heikel (University of Helsinki) discussed the realities of managing journalism in the era of AI in the Nordics.  Salla Tuomola (University of Tampere, DECA) presented her work on the experiences of citizens with low trust in legacy media, and Outi Puukko (University of Helsinki, DECA) on her analysis of imaginaries as expressed in the comments for the UN Global Digital Compact. Finally, Tuomas Heikkilä (University of Helsinki) gave an overview and reframed research approaches to mis- and disinformation. A panel discussion followed the presentations, with the theme What are we missing in research?, led by Hannu Nieminen and Marko Ampuja of DECA.

Policy recommendations

On 28 March, Prof. Mansell gave a keynote briefing in a stakeholder roundtable discussion on the challenges of media and communications policy. She highlighted the key policy recommendations, emphasizing that solutions must focus on structural changes. Some of the key takeaways include:

• 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.

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What is OID?

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).  

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