November 12, 2025

Global Lessons for Local Action: Press Workers Strength at the Trust Conference 2025

Luisina Colombo - Journalist and Projects Officer at IFJ's Latin America Regional Office

On October 21–22, I had the opportunity to attend the Trust Conference 2025, organized by the Thomson Reuters Foundation in London. I was invited as part of the project that the International Federation of Journalists - Argentina (IFJ) is implementing together with Funders Organized for Rights in the Global Economy (FORGE) under the Democracy at Work Fund (DAWF), aimed at strengthening journalist safety in Argentina, at a time when freedom of expression is increasingly under threat and experiencing a significant setback.

The conference brought together journalists, civil society organizations, academics, donors, and human rights defenders from across the world. From the outset, a shared concern became evident: the shrinking of civic space and the deterioration of the conditions necessary for independent journalism. This reality, which we are currently witnessing in Argentina, was echoed across testimonies from multiple regions.

Some insights on the sessions

One of the main issues throughout the two days was the use of legal frameworks to intimidate journalists and independent media. Speakers illustrated how loosely defined penal categories, anti-terrorism legislation, and “foreign agent” laws are being used to discourage investigations and to bring journalists to court. Hearing cases so similar to those reported by our colleagues in Argentina confirmed that restrictive pressures today often create a chilling effect, generating a climate of self-censorship rather than overt prohibition.

There were also important conversations about artificial intelligence and journalism: not in terms of innovation, but vulnerability. How do we work when our voices can be imitated, when our sources can be tracked, when harassment campaigns can spread in hours? The idea of safety is no longer only physical, it is digital, emotional, economic, and legal. The discussions emphasized not only the risks associated with identity manipulation, reputational attacks amplified by digital platforms, and the illegal surveillance of journalists’ communications, but also the labour and information integrity issues embedded in AI systems. Panelists in the Breakout session “The AI Supply Chain - Labour and Information Integrity Risks” highlighted how large language models (LLMs) and big tech companies often depend on precarious and invisible labor chains—including data labeling, content moderation, and transcription work performed under exploitative conditions, frequently in the Global South. 

Additionally, concerns were raised about the opacity of data sources used to train these systems, which can reproduce bias, distort public debate, and challenge the reliability of information consumed by audiences. Paraphrasing Christopher Wylie in the panel “Inside the AI Echo Chamber: Exposing Big Tech’s Dystopia”, the problem is not the technology itself, but the politics behind the coding and the power dynamics those technologies reinforce. These elements underscore the need to incorporate digital safety, critical understanding of AI infrastructures, and risk-mitigation strategies into our training and advocacy work, ensuring that journalists are equipped to navigate an environment where the tools that shape information are increasingly automated, globalized, and difficult to trace.

A cross-cutting concern in the conference was financial sustainability of independent media and the challenges created by political pressure combined with economic instability and the global philanthropy crisis resulting from the suspension of US government agency-funded programmes. Strategies for collaboration, diversification of funding, and community-based membership models were a key part of the debate on the possible solutions for this pressing issue. These experiences are particularly relevant for supporting small and local media organizations in Argentina.

Collaboration is key

Participating in the Trust Conference reinforced the notion that the challenges faced by journalists in Argentina are part of a broader global pattern. Listening to stories so similar to our own reminded me that what is happening in my country is neither isolated nor inevitable. At the same time, the conference demonstrated that the most effective responses emerge when global perspectives translate into local action. Alliances matter. Learning from others matters. Activism matters. Strengthening organisations representing press workers in Argentina is protecting freedom of expression.

The insights gained will guide the next phase of our work with FORGE. In practical terms, this means expanding our training so that digital protection is treated with the same depth as physical safety, while placing particular emphasis on the needs of women journalists and freelancers, who often face greater exposure and fewer institutional protections. It also means improving how we track and document incidents to better understand patterns of risk, and continuing to strengthen alliances with organizations in the region and beyond, so that journalists in Argentina can rely on broader networks of support when they need it most. 

Yet the most valuable part of the conference may have happened in the informal moments—between panels, over shared notes and exchanged business cards. Beyond the formal sessions, the conference was a great opportunity for networking. I was able to talk to colleagues from around the world who work in innovating media projects and workers-focused programmes, who may be potential partners in new initiatives.

These connections open concrete possibilities: co-organizing training sessions with international experts, integrating Argentina into comparative monitoring platforms, and exploring new alliances for our projects.

I am deeply grateful to FORGE for making this participation possible and remain committed to translating these learnings into concrete support for journalists across Argentina and Latin America. The Trust Conference served not only as a space for reflection, but also as a reminder of the importance of collective, coordinated and sustained action to protect press freedom. This experience also reinforces the IFJ's conviction that there can be no freedom of expression without journalists working in safe conditions and who are guaranteed not only their human rights, but also their rights as workers.