Dr. Asaf Wiener, Vice-President of Research and Public Policy at the Israel Internet Association (ISOC-IL) participated in the 10th biennial Future of Journalism Conference at Cardiff University’s School of Journalism, Media and Culture on 11 – 12 September 2025. Widely recognized as the leading academic forum for exploring journalism’s challenges in the digital era, this year’s event focused on the theme “Conflicting Journalisms: Resistance, Struggle, and Prospects.” Discussions addressed how political polarization, technological disruption, and social transformation continue to reshape the profession.
Dr. Wiener contributed insights from Israel’s experience in strengthening journalism against disinformation since the October 2023 attack. Representing ISOC-IL on the main panel on disinformation and journalism, he presented key findings from the Disinformation Resilience Israel project. This EU-funded initiative demonstrates how civil society, journalists, activists, and newsrooms can collaborate internationally to bolster resilience against online manipulation.
Dr. Wiener’s paper, “Capacity Building for Journalists and News Outlets in the Digital Age: The Critical Role of Civil Society,” examines Israel’s information ecosystem as both a national case study and a reflection of broader global patterns. It emphasizes ISOC-IL’s Digital Desk trainings as a scalable model for strengthening democratic infrastructure through journalist capacity-building, blending international verification practices with local realities.
The conference featured dedicated sessions on emerging challenges for journalism worldwide, with a strong focus on disinformation. Presentations included “Fact-Checkers as New Journalistic Mediators” from Brazil, “Journalists’ Struggle with Disinformation in Indonesian Elections,” and several analyses on the interaction between artificial intelligence and misinformation.
With participants ranging from investigative reporters to AI experts and media practitioners across continents, the Future of Journalism Conference provided a much-needed platform for debate, exchange, and collective reflection. It also reaffirmed journalism’s critical role as a driver of resilience and democratic renewal in an increasingly complex information environment.
ISOC-IL is deeply committed to continuing the international dialogue on digital resilience. Read more about ISOC-IL’s efforts in combating disinformation. For more information or to connect, reach out to us at [email protected].
