Press freedom reaches a 25-year low as RSF identifies tech platforms along with authoritarian regimes as contributing factors.

      **TL;DR** The 2026 RSF World Press Freedom Index registers the lowest level of press freedom in the past 25 years. For the first time, over half of all countries are rated as “difficult” or “very serious,” with less than one percent of the global population living in a country deemed “good.” The United States has fallen to 64th place, marking its lowest rank in history. The report cites technology platforms, particularly Meta's elimination of fact-checking and Elon Musk's frequent attacks on the media, as key factors alongside authoritarian governments and the criminalization of journalism in 110 countries.

      For the first time in the 25-year span of the World Press Freedom Index, over half of the world's nations are categorized as “difficult” or “very serious” regarding press freedom, with the percentage now at 52.2%, compared to just 13.7% when the index was launched in 2002. The amount of the world's population residing in countries with a “good” press freedom rating has plummeted from 20% to under one percent. Only seven countries, all in Northern Europe and led by Norway for a tenth consecutive year, still meet this criterion. The overall average score across 180 countries and territories is at a historic low. The April 30 report highlights the usual contributors: authoritarian regimes, legislation designed to silence journalists, and physical violence which has resulted in the deaths of over 220 media workers in Gaza since October 2023. Additionally, it points to a cause uncomfortable for the tech industry: the platforms themselves. Anne Bocande, RSF's editorial director, states that “authoritarian states, complicit or incompetent political powers, predatory economic actors and under-regulated online platforms” are collectively driving this decline. The influence of the tech industry appears in every category except the first.

      **Press freedom index 2026 global map**, source: Reporters Without Borders

      **The numbers**

      Press freedom has worsened in 100 out of the 180 countries featured in the 2026 index. More than 60% of these countries, totaling 110, have enacted laws that criminalize media workers under anti-terrorism statutes, national security laws, and vaguely defined disinformation regulations. The legal environment indicates the fastest deterioration among all indicators, with declines noted in over 60% of countries. Russia is ranked 172nd, with 48 journalists imprisoned. China is 178th and India is at 157th. Hong Kong has plummeted 122 positions to 140th due to Beijing's increased control over the region. El Salvador has dropped 105 places since 2014, and Georgia has fallen 75 spots as its government increased its crackdown on the media. Eritrea remains at the bottom for the third year running. The only notable improvement is Syria, which ascended 36 places following the fall of the Assad regime, representing the largest single-year rise in the index's history.

      The United States has slid seven places to 64th, marking its lowest ranking ever. RSF attributed this decline to the Trump administration's systematic attacks on press freedom, including the arrest and deportation of Salvadoran journalist Mario Guevara, who reported on migrant arrests, significant cuts to funding for U.S. international broadcasting, attempts to dismantle public broadcasters, and the use of government agencies and lawsuits to retaliate against critical media outlets. Clayton Weimers, executive director of RSF's North America section, stated, “Trump and his administration have carried out a coordinated war on press freedom since the day he took office, and we will live with the consequences for years to come.” The Varieties of Democracy Institute’s 2026 Democracy Report found that freedom of expression in the U.S. has reverted to World War II levels. Once viewed as the global champion of press freedom, the U.S. now ranks below Burkina Faso.

      **Press freedom in the Americas**, source: Reporters Without Borders

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      The 2026 index includes more references to technology companies than any previous report, employing direct language. RSF outlines that “the growing dominance of major technology companies and the consequences of their changing policies and practices have fostered an environment for the spread of hate speech and disinformation online.” Specific issues highlighted include platform algorithms that prioritize disinformation over accurate reporting, the enabling of Russian disinformation campaigns via platform infrastructure, and the abolition of integrated fact-checking on platforms.

      The latter pertains to Meta's decision to dismantle its fact-checking initiative, in favor of a system based on X’s Community Notes. RSF refers to this as the “Muskification” of Meta’s platforms, indicating a scenario where “private sector interests take precedence over the necessity for public discussions