We’re happy to share a new research report: “Working towards healthier information ecosystems: Collective visions from civil society in Latin America and the Caribbean”.
Back in September 2023, we kicked off a two-year long project aimed at contributing to a healthy and robust information ecosystem in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), supported by the Latin America Programme at Open Society Foundations. Since then, we’ve talked to many peers and partners about what it takes to build healthy information ecosystems during community calls as well as in-depth interviews.
Learning more about the creative, transformative ways civil society organizations, journalists, and activists are strengthening information ecosystems was an incredible process and we’re thankful to all the practitioners who dedicated some of their time and expertise to this project.
Read the report
You can download the full report below, available in English, Portuguese and Spanish:
We found that…
🌵 Information ecosystems in LAC are out of balance.
Digital technologies have a major role to play in the current state of information ecosystems in LAC. But that’s not the whole story: the imbalanced state of these ecosystems relate to broader, systemic issues in the region, such as the long-lasting presence of machismo, misogyny, racism, classism and ableism, exacerbated by authoritarian tendencies and the shrinking of civic space in the region.
🌵Information inequality continues to be a problem.
There is a lack of infrastructure to support and meaningfully include the communities that have been excluded from information ecosystems in the past. Increasing political polarization and lack of spaces for healthy conversations and exchanges contribute to people’s civic disengagement.
🌵Collective visions for healthier, more robust information ecosystems are being brought to life by social justice organisations, media, popular communicators, journalists, and civil society organizations.
In our report, we share insights inspired by the strategies used by civil society organizations, journalists, and activists to create more balanced creation, exchange, flow, and use of information, as well as recommendations for funders and donors who are interested in further supporting this type of work.
Get tech and data support from our team
As part of this project, we are offering free tech and data support to individuals or organizations who are working to strengthen information ecosystems in LAC. This can include a variety of groups, such as those who advocate for access to information for their community, carry out media literacy projects, work on local journalism or alternative media, organize community-driven information initiatives, work to disseminate critical information to their communities; or who monitor how their communities are impacted by information disorder.
Learn more about how you can get support from our team here!