DIACOMET marks World Press Freedom Day

As part of the DIACOMET project and in recognition of World Press Freedom Day, a workshop and public conference were organized at the Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) in Lugano on April 29, 2025. The conference, titled “There’s a Spy in the Newsroom: Freedom of the Press and Digital Surveillance”, gathered leading voices in journalism and digital rights to discuss how surveillance threatens press freedom and civic trust. Moderated by Anna Bernasconi (RSI), the debate featured Philip Di Salvo (University of St. Gallen) and Carola Frediani (journalist and cybersecurity specialist), who highlighted the growing structural and technological pressures that undermine journalistic autonomy.

Ahead of the conference, Philip Di Salvo led a workshop with students of prof. Colin Porlezza’s Journalism course at USI and participants from Ticino’s professional journalism training program. The session examined the ethical and communicative challenges posed by digital surveillance and encouraged future journalists to reflect critically on their role in safeguarding transparency and civic resilience. The event, coordinated by Laura Amigo (DIACOMET & USI), was made possible through collaboration with multiple partners, including Amnesty International, Associazione Ticinese dei Giornalisti, Fondazione Diritti Umani, Reporter senza Frontiere Svizzera, and Syndicom.

We invite you to read more about the event on this link.