Introductory speech at Information Integrity Conference November 2025

(Written version)

Distinguished guests, 
 
The challenges before us are enormous. I could talk about disinformation and attacks on free press for hours.

Instead let me talk about Humpty Dumpty! Some 150 years ago an English author nailed it when he wrote – let me quote:  

 “When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less”. 

Those words are spoken by the silly but also intimidating character Humpty Dumpty in Lewis Caroll’s famous novel Through the Looking Glass in reply to a question by Alice, the book’s main character.
Let me repeat them: 

“When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less”. 

To me, those words reflect a widespread phenomenon of our time: The manipulation of words and their meaning by those in power. The notion that the powerful are free to define what is real and what is not.

Entitled to their own facts…

Yes, the challenges are huge. Our answer must be action. 
 
As we meet here in Copenhagen our ambition is to talk less about challenges – and more about solutions.

Surely, populist and divisive leaders are all around us. But, we also have global institutions and leaders, who are committed to restoring information integrity. 
 
Surely, we have deep global divisions. But, we also have vibrant independent media who insist on producing good journalism. And we have people uniting and providing local solutions to global problems.

I see massive potential. For democracy. For change based on facts. For decisions based on accurate and trustworthy information.

To realise that potential we need deliberate and determined action. That’s why everyone concerned with information integrity must convene, collaborate and coordinate like there is no tomorrow. We must work together to advance and scale the solutions we already have and to develop new solutions we haven’t thought of yet.  

If I have one message today, it is this:

Supporting local journalism is one of the best ways we have to combat disinformation. With that in mind, check out our new Information Integrity Solution Papers on the IMS website.

Let me give you an example: 

Stakes were high in Moldova’s election in 2025. Moldova’s information space was being targeted with disinformation and manipulation of information. We know this because Moldovan authorities discovered the plot, and journalists investigated it in detail.

And the Moldovans did more than investigating. They fought back with comprehensive prebunking of disinformation. A coalition of media, authorities and civil society working together outperformed disinformation and ensured the integrity of the elections.

In addition to local action, we of course need strong policy and regulation. The EU Digital Services Act is one such hugely important framework. And in Brazil, the country’s supreme court has imposed strong demands on big tech.

We must reclaim critical democratic infrastructure.

One example of an organisation doing exactly that is JamiiAfrica. In Tanzania, JamiiAfrica’s social media platform is enabling people to share and discuss concerns from broken sewage systems to corruption.

It is a local alternative to big tech. At times, the platform has more users than Facebook.

As I said, there is no denying that we are facing massive challenges. But: all over the world, creative people are generating real solutions to those challenges.  
 
We must rally around them!

I opened with Humpty Dumpty’s cheeky remark to Alice. What I didn’t mention was her reply.

Which was: “The question is whether you can make words mean so many different things.” 
 
Let our answer be like hers: A word is a word. We must insist on facts. Rely on truth. And build on trust.

Dear friends, one last word:

If we don’t follow up… you can forget all of what I just said.

Without follow-up, no progress. Without progress, we leave the scene to those it should never be left to.

As I said, we must collaboration and coordinate. And there are some great initiative out there. They include, for example, the IFPIM-faciliated Paris Declaration On Multilateral Action for Information Integrity and Independent Media and the M20 Information Integrity initiative driven by media actors in India, Brazil and South Africa.

My final point is simple: No one organisation or initiative can do the job alone.

I wish you all a good conference.

The full conference schedule is available at Copenhagen Conference on Information Integrity