The #GlobalFact11 conference, held in Sarajevo from June 26-28, 2024, convened over 500 fact-checkers and stakeholders worldwide. Nobel Prize laureate Maria Ressa delivered a keynote, emphasizing the pivotal role of fact-checkers amidst rising misinformation. She criticized tech giants such as Meta, TikTok, Google, and YouTube for insufficient efforts in combating falsehoods despite their sponsorship. Read more about Maria Ressa’s keynote on https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2024/nobel-laureate-maria-ressa-tells-tech-companies-now-is-the-time-to-do-something-fact-checking-globalfact/

Discussions at the conference also delved into the impact of AI on fact-checking, stressing ethical use and responsible deployment. Nikita Roy, an AI futurist and Knight Fellow at the International Center for Journalists, highlighted AI’s potential in language tasks while cautioning against its use in knowledge dissemination to prevent misinformation. Learn more about Nikita Roy’s insights on AI and fact-checking on https://www.poynter.org/ifcn/2024/how-fact-checkers-journalists-use-ai/

Harvard government professor Steven Levitsky addressed the threat of populism to democratic institutions, noting a stable number of democracies globally despite populist gains. He underscored the vital role of independent media in upholding democratic values and ensuring access to accurate information. Read Steven Levitsky’s thoughts on populism and democracy on https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2024/populism-is-a-major-threat-to-democracy-political-scientist-steven-levitsky-warns/

The conference concluded with calls for increased collaboration among fact-checkers and vigilance in monitoring AI advancements to effectively combat misinformation in the digital age.