GFMD and a coalition led by the Lviv Media Forum launched Tech and Journalism Crisis and Emergency Mechanism

From left to right: Lutz Kinkel, Managing Director of ECPMF, Olga Myrovych,Head of Lviv Media Forum, Liza Bezushko, Campaigns and Communications Manager at Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD),Olga Simanovych, Regional Editor at Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN),

The initiative was unveiled on November 26 during the session “Sustainability of Support for Ukrainian Media” at the Re:COVER Conference in Krakow, Poland, as a direct response to a pressing need to distinguish and protect professional and trusted local information sources online. Read the full press release in English and Ukrainian.

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Developed in collaboration with a coalition of Ukrainian organisations and international partners and experts, this dedicated platform aims to address account-related incidents and ongoing issues with prominent tech platforms, providing a lifeline for trusted and verified journalism voices.

A coalition of Ukrainian journalism and media support organisations led by the Lviv Media Forum, will collaborate to assist media outlets in navigating and escalating significant moderation incidents with major tech platforms.

Olga Myrovych, Head of Lviv Media Forum, highlighted the vital importance of links between Ukrainian media and their audiences on social networks:

“We have confidence that Tech & Journalism Crisis and Emergency Mechanism will help in maintaining and fortifying this connection. It also aims to inspire media outlets to delve more profoundly into the community guidelines of social platforms and take a more responsible approach to compliance.”

The creation of the Tech and Journalism Mechanism was an outcome of the advocacy efforts surrounding the Perugia Declaration for Ukraine. The declaration urged technology companies, telecoms, internet intermediaries, and advertisers to prevent automated takedowns of journalistic content that documented evidence related to international crimes such as aggression, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other grave human rights violations. It also emphasized the need to enhance transparency and notice procedures while expediting the appeal and remedy processes.

“The Perugia Declaration, that was launched by GFMD in April last year and signed by 219 media organisations, served as a sign of solidarity and showed how our media development community stood together to support Ukrainian journalists,” noted Liza Bezushko, GFMD’s Campaigns and Communication Manager

Participation in the Tech and Journalism Crisis and Emergency Mechanism (T&JM) in Ukraine is open and voluntary. The mechanism will not act as a quality standard, nor exempt media from moderation, or guarantee the resolution of reported issues and appeals. Nonetheless, the mechanism will collect data related to the incidents and their outcomes, provide an escalation channel, and offer additional resources to its users. Once the pilot has demonstrated the potential for broader application, GFMD hopes to expand the mechanism for use in other crises and regions.

GFMD and Lviv Media Forum invite all stakeholders within the tech, media, and journalism support sectors to join this initiative. Together, we can create a digital environment that fosters free and independent journalism, combats disinformation, and upholds human rights and freedom of expression.

Please visit our dedicated webpage and resource centre to learn how to submit a case. For further information and updates about T&JM, please contact techandjournalism@gfmd.info

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