Global press freedom has hit its lowest point in the 25 years that Reporters Without Borders has tracked it.

Far from being a dip, it’s a trend. And there are no signs of it bouncing back.

In its 2026 World Press Freedom Index, the group says more than half of all countries now fall into what it calls “difficult” or “very serious” conditions for journalists. And it’s not just the old threats — arrests, prison, violence — though those haven’t gone anywhere. What’s changing is how the pressure works. It’s more systemic, more bureaucratic, and in some ways more effective.

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