Truth plays a key role in protecting democracy and social integrity, and the regional campaign “Truth Matters” aims to educate citizens in Southeast Europe and Turkey about the dangers of disinformation and hate speech, both online and offline.
The regional campaign, launched by The Council of Media Ethics of Macedonia in collaboration with six regional councils for journalism (media), is being promoted today, May 3, on World Media Freedom Day, as part of the project “Building Trust in the Media in Southeast Europe”: Supporting Journalism as a Public Good. This project covers the countries of the Western Balkans and Turkey, with the support of the EU and UNESCO, in order to encourage freedom of expression in the region.
Two videos were created as part of the campaign to inform citizens about their options for taking action if they are victims of hate speech or disinformation, whether they are themselves or someone else. Video messages promote the importance of professional and ethical journalism for every democratic society, and especially for communities facing massive media abuse. In this context, the role of media self-regulation and the work of the Council of Media Ethics in Macedonia in the fight against disinformation and hate speech is particularly emphasized.
Data indicating that fake news reaches citizens six times faster than real/real news, while 73% of them trust rumors more than official information, are concerning and require immediate action.
As a result, our campaign places a special emphasis on “fighters for the truth” – journalists who consistently adhere to the principles of the code of ethics, striving for integrity, professionalism, and accountability in journalism.
We encourage citizens to take an active role in the fight against disinformation and hate speech, and to contact the Council of Media Ethics in Macedonia if they believe or recognize that they or someone else has been a victim of unethical media reporting. They can direct applications to the following email address: info@semm.mk.