Training on responsible reporting on health topics, with a focus on diabetes, was held

22/04/2024

During a two-day training session of the IHS Project and the AQH Project, over 20 journalists discussed responsible and ethical health reporting this weekend, with a focus on diabetes.

During the training session led by Sokol Shameti, the importance of health journalism and its role in society were discussed. The session covered topics such as transforming complex medical information into easily understandable news for the public, methods for avoiding the use of medical jargon, techniques for maintaining accuracy and reliability in health reporting, research methods in the field of health, evaluating sources and verifying data, ethical considerations in health reporting, interviewing health professionals, etc.

Furthermore, journalists had the opportunity to share their reporting experiences and recount events behind the news that are not known to the public.

As a result of the training, three prizes will be awarded on November 14, 2024, World Diabetes Day, for the best reporting on diabetes.

The training was organized by IHS and AQH, joint initiatives of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Ministry of Health of Kosovo, in close cooperation with the Association of Journalists of Kosovo.

Hasić: AI doesn’t understand what it “creates”, so it can generate false claims

BHJA

22/04/2024

Haris Hasic slika za intervju o AI — PHOTO: Canva/Private archive

Sarajevo, April 22, 2024 – In anticipation of the International Copyright Day (April 23), we spoke with an expert on the protection of copyright and related rights, Haris Hasić. In an interview with BH journalists, he explained the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) for journalists and media workers, and highlighted the benefits and potential limitations that the use of different AI tools in journalism can bring Does the user of the AI service have copyright over what the AI creates?

The user of the artificial intelligence service can be the author of a “prompt”, i.e. a question or query posed by the AI and to which it provides an answer or output. This is provided that the “prompt” can be qualified as an “individual spiritual creation”. In that case, whether the user will have the copyright to the content created by AI on that “prompt” is an open and disputed question in theory, but also in practice. Not enough time has passed for the legislature or the courts to take a position on this issue. In principle, the more “freedom” AI has to make creative decisions, the less likely it is that the user (journalist or other creator of media content) will have copyright on the created output.

What percentage of a journalistic text can contain parts created by artificial intelligence to still be considered an author’s work?

The user is free to take the text he receives from the AI and subsequently refine or rework it. In that case, the user would have the copyright over what he added to the text itself. There are no solid percentages of how much of the original text may or may not remain, since the answer to this question can only be obtained on a case-by-case basis. It is important how much and what the user entered into the existing material. However, a journalist or other author in the media, who takes the AI output and makes his own changes and additions, cannot claim to be the author of the entire content. One of the disadvantages of the fact that AI output is not copyright-legally protected is that any person can use that same output for their own needs, and a journalist or media worker could not object to that use if it refers to what was created by AI. and not to what is added. Of course, the big problem here will be proving it in court proceedings, if it comes to them.

Why should journalists and media workers be careful when using artificial intelligence tools?

Most artificial intelligence tools show a tendency to “hallucinate” or make up facts and make other types of mistakes. To understand this, we must remember that artificial intelligence is not “intelligent” at all. AI is an advanced set of algorithms made using sophisticated statistical correlative models that, “learned” on large amounts of data, can “guess” the order of words that should have symbols or image elements, etc. AI does not understand what it creates, so it can generate false claims or otherwise make mistakes. As an expert and professional person, the journalist bears direct responsibility for all damage that occurs as a result of publishing “hallucinations” or other errors of artificial intelligence. Standard practice must be to verify any fact that is obtained from AI using multiple independent sources. An additional danger arises from the fact that AI can be used to imitate voices and sounds (the popular “Deep fakes”) or generate fictitious photos, etc. All this can make the job of a journalist or media worker significantly more difficult. So, there are many reasons for special attention and caution when using these tools, but also in general for professional journalistic activity in a world where various AI tools exist and are used.

How can journalists be transparent in their use of artificial intelligence tools?

The use of artificial intelligence tools should be clearly indicated, as well as the role of the journalist or media worker in relation to the AI prompt and the subsequent editing of the AI output. As is the case with all disruptive technologies, initially the entire field is unorganized and can be defined as the “wild west”. However, professional rules, good customs and practice will crystallize over time. Until then, as until now, journalists and media workers should have the strictest and highest standards in the use of AI in the creation of their content and be as transparent and honest as possible.

Does artificial intelligence “infringe” copyright?

In order to create a generative artificial intelligence model, such as ChatGPT, it must first be “trained” on a large amount of data. Training data can be, and often are, copyrighted works. In the legal regulations of our BiH, the author has control over all possible ways of using his author’s work except those that the legislator has expressly allowed to other persons, and the author has the right to monetary compensation for each way of using the author’s work, unless the legislator has expressly arranged otherwise. With us, your axiom, and mine, is that training an artificial intelligence model using someone else’s author’s works is something for which the author’s permission must be obtained and the author must be paid a fee! Companies that train AI models disagree with this view. For this reason, the New York Times, the Associated Press, and numerous other news and media outlets sued Open AI, Microsoft, and other companies that train AI. We’ll see what the results of those lawsuits are. But we are already noticing that these companies are increasingly entering into contracts and paying authors for the use of their author’s works for training artificial intelligence models. It is also possible for the user to be sued if the author believes that the specific AI output contains elements of his or her author’s work. AI service providers have created legal defense funds for such cases, because there is not enough practice on this issue even in the world.

Are the author’s works of journalists and media workers from Bosnia and Herzegovina used for training artificial intelligence?

Absolutely sure! I would be very surprised if that is not the case. I think that all the author’s works of journalists and media workers from our country, which are available on the Internet, were used to train the AI model. It must be remembered that these are automated systems that constantly search and mine or “scrape” the Internet to collect/research data. At this moment, it would be extremely expensive, complicated and generally difficult for journalists and media workers from BiH to sue OpenAI or other providers of the most prominent generative artificial intelligence models for violating their copyrights. Such procedures would entail large financial expenditures and the participation of experts and would have to be conducted in the USA. However, something can be done right now to reduce, as much as possible, such mining of author’s works by journalists and media workers from Bosnia and Herzegovina. There are technical measures in place to let the training collection mechanisms know that you don’t want your pieces to be used. Whether it is through “robot.txt” instructions on websites or through explicit indications that you prohibit the use of training content in both human and machine readable form.

What is the current legal arrangement of artificial intelligence in the context of copyright in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

The legal rules governing copyright and related rights in our country are written in such a way that they are technologically neutral, so they can be applied to new and unforeseen technologies such as artificial intelligence. At this time and at this stage of artificial intelligence development, our rules are satisfactory. As artificial intelligence technology matures, theoretical and practical understanding will certainly develop, and a consensus will be reached on how this technology should be regulated. When that moment comes, as was the case with other technologies, the relevant legislation will probably be adopted in the EU or in more developed countries, which we will transpose. Until then, professional workers who depend on copyright and who professionally use artificial intelligence tools should try to anticipate and arrange disputed issues autonomously. The European Union is currently in the final stages of adopting a comprehensive set of rules known as the EU AI Act. This is the first legislation of its kind in the world and represents a kind of test for the development of legal regulation in the field of AI. Among other things, the EU proposes that in the training and use of AI tools they must protect and respect copyright.

Why is it important that there is better legal regulation regarding artificial intelligence and what can the Association of BH Journalists do in this area to protect the rights of journalists and the media?

Adequate legal regulation of the technology is absolutely crucial. On the one hand, excessive legal regulation can delay or hinder the development of technology. On the other hand, inadequate regulation may allow the creators of AI models to gain a competitive advantage and wealth to the detriment and detriment of the interests of authors related to the works they use to train this technology. In this context, BiH as a country should be very careful and not allow the adoption of rules that would excessively benefit AI service providers to the detriment of authors from BiH. This was the case with the proposal that we could see in the draft amendments to the law regulating copyright in our country. Namely, it was proposed to allow the free use of author’s works in BiH, among other things, for training AI models. The Association of BH Journalists submitted amendments to this proposal, providing a detailed explanation of why such a thing would be against the interests of journalists and media workers from BiH, and against the obligations of BiH that it undertook in international conventions in this field. That is why it is important that BH journalists continue to persist in protecting the author’s works of journalists and the media, and do not allow the adoption of the Law in the form it was proposed. As an advocate and promoter of the interests of journalists and media workers in our country, the Association can work with the legislator and the industry in developing standards and good practices and customs in the use of AI and ensure that the legal problems of using AI technology are handled in a more appropriate way. Training AI models and providing these services is very expensive, and it is an important area of activity for very rich companies. Someone with so many resources is adept at lobbying legislators. Therefore, journalists and media workers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and generally all authors, need someone who will “whisper in the other ear” of the legislator what the rights of journalists and the media as authors are, that is, who will advocate for the legislation to be appropriate to protect the rights and interests of authors in journalism.

PHOTO: Canva/Private archive

CoE’s Recommendation represents a significant milestone in the fight against SLAPPs

IJAS

19/04/2024

The Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE), of which the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) is a member, issued a statement welcoming the adoption of the Recommendation on countering the use of SLAPPs by the Council of Europe (CoE) on 5 April 2024. Although there is still room for improvement, the Recommendation is an important step in the protection of press freedom, guaranteeing journalists a safer environment, free from fear and intimidation.

The Recommendation establishes robust standards that Member States must meet in order to ensure compliance with their human rights obligations. This Recommendation could help guide EU Member States as they transpose the anti-SLAPP directive into national law, and provide a roadmap for non-EU members of the CoE to introduce effective anti-SLAPP protections of their own. It is also complemented by a report by the CoE Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) published in January 2024.

Maja Sever, EFJ President, said “ The adoption of the CoE Recommendation is a further step in sanctioning those who use SLAPPs or threaten to do so. The pressure of such abusive lawsuits on journalists makes their day-to-day work difficult. Self-regulation should be the norm, a long-standing tradition in Europe that allows people to make complaints without bringing in the costs and complications of the law”.

Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) recently published a study exploring the role of self-regulatory bodies in fighting against SLAPPs. Self-regulation has historically been a way to protect the independence of journalism and uphold its ethical standards. Disagreements about journalistic works can be settled without involving a judge.

According to the researchers, self-regulatory bodies can play a role in combating SLAPP cases. As referees of journalism, they can assess whether an article meets ethical standards. Such judgement could ‘shield’ against attacks, such as accusations of defamation.

The CoE recommendation includes vital benchmarks when introducing domestic anti-SLAPP legislation. CASE stated that the Recommendation includes important strengths that should serve as a signpost in developing robust anti-SLAPP protections at the national level. They also identified several ambiguities in the text – in particular, with the early dismissal mechanism – that could, if interpreted in a restrictive manner, hinder efforts to counter the use of SLAPPs.

“As [we have] already laid out, it is crucial that the EU Directive be understood as establishing minimum standards for anti-SLAPP protection. The Recommendation helps flesh out these standards and provides the detail needed for anti-SLAPP laws to provide meaningful protection,” wrote CASE Coalition.

Source: EFJ

The third module of the Academy on Dealing with the Past Journalism and Conflict Sensitive Reporting was held

AJK

15/04/2024

Journalism students and journalists participating in the Academy on Dealing with the Past (DwP) Journalism and Conflict Sensitive Reporting, during the third module, learned about the role of journalists and the media in addressing historical issues, with a specific focus on the reality in Kosovo.

This module of the Academy was taught by Besian Beha – a journalist, who engaged participants in a discussion on the crucial role of journalists and media organizations in influencing collective memory and public discourse on historical conflicts, particularly focusing on Kosovo. Participants of the Academy also looked at real examples that show the challenges and responsibilities when reporting on events connected to ethnic conflicts and the process of reconciliation.

Among other things, Beha shared with the journalists his experience of monitoring and reporting numerous court cases related to conflict-sensitive reporting.

During this module journalists and journalism students had the chance to see how media narratives can bridge divides or deepen them. Through interactive discussions, participants had the opportunity to see methods for ethical journalism, and strategies to promote dialogue and peace in post-conflict societies.

The Academy in the field of reporting on Dealing with the Past Journalism and Conflict Sensitized Reporting will continue with another module this mo

Media organizations condemn violence against Serbian journalists

IJAS

12/04/2024

The International Press Institute (IPI), the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and the SafeJournalists Network on Thursday demanded accountability for all violence against journalists in Serbia.

“Marking a quarter of a century since the murder of Serbian journalist Slavko Ćuruvija, the International Press Institute (IPI), the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners and the SafeJournalists Network stand united in condemning the impunity surrounding his assassination,” a joint statement said and demanded “accountability for all acts of violence against journalists in Serbia”.

“We are deeply alarmed to see the absenteeism of institutions in reacting effectively to these assaults, which exacerbates the risks facing journalists. The revival of insults by politicians in public debates also stresses the need for officials to refrain from targeting journalists,” the statement said and recalled the sustained attacks on and threats against the leaders of the Association of Independent Journalists of Vojvodina (NDNV), Ana Lalic Hegedis and Dinko Gruhonjic. “In the face of the authorities’ lack of response despite our persistent calls for a thorough investigation and conviction of the perpetrators, the MFRR has provided private protection to both journalists for the first time,” it said.

„We stand in solidarity with all journalists in Serbia who courageously continue their vital work in the face of adversity. Perpetrators of violence and intimidation must be held accountable to ensure a free and safe environment for the media workers in Serbia,“ the statement said.

Source: N1

Freedom House: Serbia experiences historic decline

IJAS

12/04/2024

The Freedom House Nations in Transition 2024 said that Serbia experienced a historic decline due to President Aleksandar Vucic’s efforts to consolidate power in 2023.

The report listed Serbia as a Transitional or Hybrid Regime whose democracy score showed the largest decline.

According to the report, Serbia’s Independent Media score has also dropped due to the gradual, but overt, dominance of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) in media coverage, increasing hostility and financial pressure on independent journalists, and the state’s effective capture of public and private media.

The report warned that autocratizing hybrids like Hungary and Serbia are on their way to what Nations in Transit classifies as Semi-Consolidated Authoritarian Regimes. “Key institutions, from the media to the courts, have gone beyond the level of politicization expected under classical definitions of hybrid regimes and are now effectively captured by ruling parties and abused for partisan or personal gain,” it added.

“In 2002, democracy scholar Thomas Carothers observed that certain hybrid regimes, like those in this group, suffer from “dominant-power politics,” in which the opposition or civil society has some space to operate, but the ruling political faction is able to prevent any change in leadership. The description applies perfectly to present-day Serbia, where President Vucic’s regime has kept a tight grip on power by rigging electoral processes, dominating both public and private media, brutally smearing opposition members and activists, and cowing municipal governments,” the report said.

“The ability of the opposition or civil society to influence the government’s policies is more limited in hybrids with dominant-power politics. These regimes may appear on the surface to simply ignore dissent, but in practice they are likely to repress critics with more covert tactics, such as the smearing, intimidation, and surveillance that Serbian civil society, independent media, and the opposition movement Srbija protiv nasilja (Serbia against Violence) faced during 2023,” it added.

Back-to-back mass shootings in May prompted protests throughout the summer, to which the Serbian government responded with rigged snap elections in December, it said.

Source: N1

IJAS: Municipality of Bujanovac to Enable Journalists to Report Unhindered on Issues of Public Interest

IJAS

11/04/2024

Journalist Nikola Stevanovic from media “Bujanovacke” was removed from the session of the Emergency Situations Headquarters in Bujanovac today due to the fire at the city landfill, which has been going on for the third day. The president of the municipality of Bujanovac and other competent bodies should enable journalists to report unhindered on important issues, which fire recovery plan certainly is.

The decision to close the session to the public was announced by the municipal president, Nagip Arifi, a few moments after journalist Nikola Stevanovic arrived at the session.

Editor-in-Chief of “Bujanovacke” Nikola Lazic says that the fire has been going on for a long time and that they wanted to report on the plan of the Headquarters in a timely manner.

“The citizens have been on their feet for the last three days, and a petition was written. We wanted to report on what they were going to do. And now everyone has to wait for their announcement. There is no major public interest in the region at the moment,” said Lazic.

He also said that a journalist from “Bujanovacke” noticed that a journalist, who is also employed by the municipal authorities, was sitting in the hall where the Staff meeting was held.

We call on the president of the municipality of Bujanovac and other members of the Emergency Situations Staff to allow journalists to follow the future sessions so that they can inform the public on time about important issues that concern the quality of their lives, such as the plan for remediation of the fire at the municipal landfill. The fire that happened at the landfill in Bujanovac affects public health, so it is in the interest of the public to be informed about it.

Also, we remind that discrimination against journalists and the media is prohibited and demand that all journalists who are interested in monitoring the session be granted access.

Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS)

11.04.2024

Study visit was held in Skopje with the participants of the Academy for Information Integrity

AJK

08/04/2024

The Association of Journalists of Kosovo, with support from NDI Kosovo and USAID Kosovo, organized the study visit to Skopje from April 5th to 7th.

During their visit to North Macedonia, journalism students and professionals from the second edition of the Information Integrity Academy visited the premises of the Association of Macedonian Journalists (AJM). There, they met with the Executive Director, Dragan Sekulovski, Milan Spirovski, and Verce Todorovska Kostovska – the national researchers.

Academy participants engaged in discussions to understand the state of media and journalism in North Macedonia. They also shared experiences and provided insights to AJM hosts regarding the situation of journalists in Kosovo. Additionally, discussions revolved around Kosovo and North Macedonia’s positions in various indices related to journalist safety and other media-related aspects.

The visit proceeded with a meeting at the Metamorphosis Foundation, where we were welcomed by Bardhyl Jashari – Executive Director, Goran Rizaov – Program Manager, Vladimir Peterski – Project Manager, and Meri Jardonovska – Deputy Editor-in-Chief at Meta.mk. Participants discussed hate speech, disinformation, and foreign malign influence. Participants also delved into the necessity of promoting media literacy, shared experiences in fact-checking, and combating misinformation.

Subsequently, participants toured the premises of the national television, Alsat.mk, where they gained insight into the work and bilingualism from the editor Shkelzen Aqifi. They discussed work processes and challenges encountered in story realization, among other topics.

The study visit concluded with a meeting at the offices of Pikasa Analytics. Participants learned about the work of Pikasa from Meriton Nagavci – a data analyst. They were briefed on Pikasa’s platform, and data analysis methodologies, and had the opportunity to explore the impact of social media on reaching wider audiences in detail.

The European Commission responded to CJA’s letter: We will closely monitor developments regarding the Criminal Code.

CJA

06/04/2024

Today, the European Commission responded to CJA’s letter expressing concern about the potential consequences of introducing a new criminal offense related to journalists’ work. As stated in the response, they have closely followed developments, especially as part of preparations for the Commission’s Annual Rule of Law Report.

The European Commission’s response also states that they are aware of the open letter from CJA and the editors of 19 Croatian media outlets and will continue to closely monitor relevant developments in Croatia regarding the practical consequences of recent amendments to the Criminal Code.

It is worth noting that the Croatian Journalists’ Association believes that the amendments to the Criminal Code regarding unauthorized disclosure of information from investigations, colloquially referred to as “Lex AP,” are dangerous for media freedom and the public’s right to be informed. CJA finds Article 307.a of the Criminal Code, “Unauthorized Disclosure of Content from Investigative or Evidentiary Actions,” unacceptable and has requested its withdrawal.

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