Misinformation and Disinformation Fueling Mistrust in Journalism, PINA Summit Told
SAVUSAVU, Fiji — Misinformation and disinformation have been ranked as the third-highest risk facing the world in the digital era, according to Australian Associated Press editor-in-chief Andrew Drummond, who delivered the sobering assessment on the opening day of the 2026 Pacific Islands News Association Summit in Savusavu yesterday. Sharing findings from the United Nations Global Risk Report 2024, Drummond said the alarming ranking placed false and misleading information above large-scale wars, natural hazards and geopolitical tensions in the global risk landscape. The choice of venue underscored the seriousness of the challenge: the PINA Summit brings together media professionals from across the Pacific, a region where distance, limited newsroom resources and the rapid uptake of digital platforms create a uniquely challenging information environment. Drummond said audiences around the world were no longer simply seeking information; they were seeking solutions and calling for ethical, professional journalism they could trust. “A press that acts with integrity, a press that stands up for the vulnerable and that delivers facts that break through the noise,” he urged. The comment captured a central theme of the summit and served as a challenge to every journalist in the room. Drummond’s presentation also drew attention to a broader point: the credibility of journalism is not only a matter of professional pride but a foundational element of public trust in democracy. When falsehoods flourish and responsible reporting is undermined, he suggested, the consequences are felt far beyond the newsroom, affecting governance, public health, social cohesion and even the safety of communities. The global risk report, he said, reflects a world in which information disorder has become as threatening as any conventional security challenge, and journalism is increasingly being forced to compete not only with other media outlets but with a relentless torrent of manipulated content designed to deceive.
Speaking about the Pacific media landscape specifically, Drummond warned that misinformation and disinformation continued to grow at an all-time high. “This is costing the journalism industry dearly in increasing levels of mistrust,” he said. The statement resonated strongly with journalists working across the Pacific, where newsrooms are often stretched thin and where a small number of outlets may serve entire populations. In such an environment, the spread of a single viral falsehood can inflict serious damage on public understanding of critical issues, from climate change and natural disasters to public health and political accountability. Drummond did not offer simple remedies, but he made clear that the erosion of trust is not an accident. It is the direct consequence of a polluted information ecosystem in which social media algorithms amplify emotion over accuracy, where foreign actors can target small media markets with relative ease, and where the lines between journalism, advertising, propaganda and commentary have become dangerously blurred. For Pacific media, the challenge is compounded by the need to serve culturally diverse, multilingual communities across vast distances, often with limited access to high-quality fact-checking tools and platforms. Drummond’s words suggested that the struggle against mistrust will require not only the rejection of falsehood but the restoration of journalism’s core values: accuracy, fairness, independence and accountability. He reminded delegates that journalism is a public service, not merely a business, and that every story published or broadcast carries with it the power to shape public perception. When that power is abused, or when newsrooms fail to verify information before publication, the entire profession suffers, and the public is left with no reliable means of navigating a chaotic information environment.
The rise of artificial intelligence in information dissemination has made the task of verification more urgent than ever, Drummond said. As AI tools become more sophisticated, they can produce text, images, audio and video that are increasingly difficult to distinguish from authentic material. Deepfakes, automated propaganda and algorithmically amplified rumours now spread at speeds that outpace traditional editorial checks, creating new opportunities for bad actors to influence elections, destabilize institutions and undermine public health responses. In this context, Drummond stressed, the fundamental responsibility of journalists has not changed: verification. “As journalists, what we are doing to verify information remains essential to credible journalism,” he said. This commitment to verification, he explained, is what separates journalism from the noise of social media and what allows audiences to make informed decisions about their lives and their governments. Drummond noted that AAP had its own fact-checking operation, which had been running for several years, and he acknowledged that when people hear about misinformation and disinformation, their minds often turn to fact-checking. But he made clear that fact-checking is only one part of a much larger obligation. Journalists must also cultivate reliable sources, maintain transparency about their methods, correct errors promptly and engage with communities that have been historically marginalized or misrepresented. In the Pacific, where media outlets often operate with fewer resources than their counterparts in larger countries, the need for collaboration and shared standards is particularly acute. Regional news agencies, journalism associations and educational institutions all have a role to play in building resilience against AI-driven disinformation and in ensuring that journalistic practices remain anchored in truth.
Drummond also offered practical advice to the media professionals in attendance, urging them to treat every piece of information with a healthy degree of skepticism, especially when it comes from official sources. “Don’t simply accept what’s put in front of you, if you receive a press release, be sure to tell the other side of the story,” he emphasised. This warning was directed at a widespread weakness in modern journalism: the tendency to reproduce press releases and official statements without subjecting them to rigorous scrutiny. In countries across the Pacific, governments, corporations and international organisations issue a steady stream of communications designed to present their own actions in the most favorable light. Without independent questioning, such material can become the basis of news stories that are little more than public relations, leaving audiences misinformed about the full context. Drummond’s call for transparency and balance is especially important in an era when some political leaders treat the media as an enemy and when public confidence in news organisations has been weakened by perceived bias and sensationalism. He reminded journalists that their duty is to the public, not to those in power, and that every story has more than one perspective. The most credible journalism, he said, is journalism that seeks out multiple voices, weighs evidence carefully and presents the facts without fear or favour. In a region where community ties are strong and where personal relationships can sometimes blur the boundaries between journalist and source, the discipline of verification becomes even more essential. The PCC? The audience? No, not PCC.
Drummond’s broader message was a call to action for the entire profession. In his view, journalism is not merely a mirror reflecting events; it is an institution that must stand for something. It must act with integrity, defend the vulnerable and provide facts that allow people to separate truth from lies. This vision is particularly meaningful in the Pacific, where many small nations face existential threats from climate change, economic inequality and the pressures of globalisation. In such a setting, reliable information is not a luxury; it is a lifeline. Communities need to know what their governments are doing, what scientists are saying and what choices are available to them. When the media fail to provide that clarity, people become vulnerable to rumour, conspiracy theories and manipulation. Drummond said that the world is watching how media outlets respond to this challenge, and he expressed hope that Pacific journalists, despite their constraints, could demonstrate the values that make journalism indispensable. He praised the importance of maintaining editorial independence, even when resources are scarce and pressures are intense. He also acknowledged that journalists themselves are human and can make mistakes, but he stressed that the difference between journalism and propaganda lies in the willingness to correct those mistakes and to remain answerable to the public. That accountability, he said, is the foundation of trust, and trust is the currency of journalism.
The summit continues in Savusavu with discussions expected to focus on media sustainability, digital innovation, press freedom and the future of news in the Pacific region. Drummond’s opening address established a clear framework for those conversations: misinformation and disinformation are not simply technological problems, but social, political and ethical ones that demand a determined response from journalists and media organisations. The United Nations Global Risk Report 2024, he said, makes clear that the information crisis is one of the most serious threats confronting humanity. Yet his tone was not one of despair. Instead, he offered a challenge and an opportunity. Journalists can reclaim their role as trusted guides in a confusing world by committing to verification, transparency and integrity. They can stand up for the vulnerable and amplify the voices that are too often drowned out. And they can produce journalism that breaks through the noise, offering audiences not just headlines, but understanding. For the Pacific, where storytelling is deeply rooted in culture and tradition, this mission carries special meaning. The fight against disinformation will not be won by technology alone. It will be won by journalists who do the difficult work that journalism requires: asking tough questions, checking facts, listening to communities and holding power to account. The summit’s opening day ended with a clear sense of purpose. The threats are serious, the risks are high and the challenges are growing. But if the journalists gathered in Savusavu take Drummond’s message to heart, the future of journalism in the Pacific may be defined not by the forces of falsehood, but by the enduring power of truth.