Celebrated journalist Maria Ressa shared her useful, applicable thoughts at the recent International Governance Forum 2025 event, held in Oslo, Norway on June 26th & 27th, 2025.
She began by describing the current digital landscape as more than just the casual use of simple tools—it’s a wildly active battleground for truth, democracy and human agency. Maria warned that algorithms,often far from being neutral, amplify people’s worst impulses—spreading outrage, multiplying echo chambers, and dismissing empathy. She stressed that these outcomes are choices, not inevitabilities.
Therefore, her questions for the world to explore:
“Will artificial intelligence augment human potential? Or replace human judgment?”
“Will digital rights be universal? Or a privilege of the wealthy?”
Through those pressing questions, Maria challenged all stakeholders—governments, platforms, civil society—to decide whether each algorithm should reflect human dignity and values rather than mere blind metrics.
Shared Responsibility for Global Impact
Highlighting each and every governance decision as influential, Maria urged delegates to make “tangible commitments,” not just transactional exchanges of business cards. She reminded attendees that digital policies have serious real-life impacts—interacting with issues such as democracy, misinformation, and social cohesion.
However, the cause is not totally lost. In a nod to the event’s host country, Maria praised Norway for its commitment to transparency, press freedom, and digital literacy— as she puts it, “human values that the world desperately needs.” But she also emphasized that no one country, or platform, can tackle these challenges alone. The effort must thought of in terms of “cross-border” and “multi-sector.”
Maria drew from her personal experiences, noting she’s witnessed “democracy die in real time, one viral line.” In addition, she has observed the power of informed action when individuals and institutions respond with courage and conviction. It’s a plea to evolve from passive discussion to proactive implementation and action.
The Bigger Picture & IGF’s Future
Maria’s remarks reflected insights from the IGF Leadership Panel earlier in the week, which also flagged AI-driven disruption, misinformation, and the erosion of democratic integrity. The panel, which included Maria, rallied for a more permanent UN-backed IGF structure supported by institutional funding mechanisms to steer policy-grounded outputs.
In her final address, Maria reinforced these ideas, calling on the IGF community not only to hold conversations but to build tools, track progress, and enforce accountability—ensuring the IGF’s role transitions from dialogue to real-world impactdig.watch+1thenationonlineng.net+1.
Key Takeaways
Algorithms = Values — Every digital system embodies human choices. It’s imperative that we design for dignity.
Rights vs. Privilege — Without equitable access, digital rights will remain luxuries for the very few.
Global, Collective Action — Solutions can’t be siloed. Everything’s connected. Solutions require global, cross-sectoral coordination.
Action Over Words — Commitments must be more than empty words – measurable, tracked, and accountable. Enough talk—now we act.
Strengthen IGF — The forum must evolve to deliver permanent institutional backing and policy relevance.
Bottom Line
Maria Ressa’s closing comments weren’t just a speech—it was a manifesto for digital integrity in a time when the very foundations of democracy are in peril. She challenged every IGF participant to hold themselves accountable, reminding us: “Without facts, no truth, no trust. Without trust, you cannot govern.” As IGF2025 ends another inspiring and influential event, the path forward is clear:
Embed empathy in algorithms, uphold rights as universal, and, most importantly, act decisively.
The future of our digital world depends on it
For more information about inviting Maria to your event, contact ProjectSpeaker here.
