Nobel laureate Maria Ressa warns about ‘information Armageddon’

NEW YORK – Nobel Peace laureate Maria Ressa issued a stark warning about the future of democracy and truth in the digital age during the 20th anniversary of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) at the New York Hilton Midtown on Tuesday.  

“It is the mother of all battles,” Ressa said of the fight for information integrity. “If we lose that, we lose everything.”  

In a conversation on stage with former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley at the CGI’s opening plenary, Ressa, co-founder and CEO of Rappler, warned about the proliferation of disinformation and its immense costs.

Without decisive action to fight disinformation, the world is headed towards what Ressa has called “an information Armageddon” that would endanger global economic stability, social welfare and sustainable growth.

“This time matters,” Ressa said. 

“This is either an information Armageddon or an information apocalypse. And because I’m an optimist, it’s an Armageddon. An information Armageddon means you gotta jump in now because in an apocalypse, the battle’s over. The window is closing, and frankly, what happens in America will affect all of us around the world.”  

Ressa, who faced years of politically motivated legal battles in the Philippines for her work in journalism, warned that the erosion of truth through technology and unchecked social media algorithms is directly undermining democratic institutions around the world.  

Information integrity

“We cannot govern. We cannot have a shared reality. You can’t have civic engagement… If we win that information integrity, then we have a fighting chance,” she said.  

Ressa emphasized the role of technology companies in fueling polarization. She answered Clinton’s question about how algorithms profit from disinformation.

“This is what they’re exploiting. Right? Our biology. And it’s getting significantly worse.”  

She continued, “Fear, anger, and hate spread the fastest. That’s why we’re almost full of toxic sludge.”

Speaking about how journalists and citizens alike must resist normalization of lies, Ressa said:

“Do not normalize the ridiculous or the lies. Everything will tell you not to do it. In my case, our lawyers told me I was stupid. Like, foolish, Maria, you’re too naive. I’m over 60, so I’m not that naive. But this is the time that will determine who you really are. You don’t know who you are until you were forced to fight for it.”  

When the discussion turned to artificial intelligence, Ressa urged immediate intervention.

“News organizations, the small and medium ones who die, may die if the trends continue within six to eight months. Guys, you don’t have that much time. So this is the time to act. This is the time to pitch in.”  

She cited initiatives such as the Vatican’s declaration on AI ethics and a coalition of scientists calling for clear red lines on AI development.

“The battle for our future is whether or not we retain our humanity,” she said.  

Battle for humanity

Ressa’s warnings struck a chord among CGI participants, many of whom applauded when she concluded: “This is a battle for humanity. Please, do not kill us. This is a battle for humanity.”  

Prime Minister Mottley connected disinformation to erosion of social values, while Clinton said the speakers were “really on the forefront of trying to figure out how to get things done against powerful interests.”  

The Clinton Global Initiative, founded by former President Bill Clinton in 2005, marks its 20th anniversary this year. It brings together heads of state, Nobel laureates, CEOs, philanthropists and grassroots organizers to forge “Commitments to Action” that tackle urgent global challenges, from health crises and poverty alleviation to climate change and democratic governance. 

Since its founding, CGI reports that its members have launched more than 3,900 commitments, impacting over 435 million people worldwide.  

This year’s gathering, themed around “What’s Next?” comes, as the organization described, at “a critical juncture” for democracy and sustainability. 

Ressa was featured in the new Working Group on “Truth and Information,” reflecting CGI’s shift to address head-on the global crisis over misinformation.  

Ressa has been a consistent presence at CGI, having shared stages with Clinton in prior years. Her message remains focused on protecting democracy, which requires urgent defense of facts, ethical journalism and transparency in digital platforms.  

“This is the time that will determine who you really are,” she told the packed audience Tuesday. “If you believe in values, stand for it now, because that’s what’s important.” 

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