The Interview28 Nov 2025

Maria Ressa, freedom of speech campaigner: The information apocalypse is threatening democracy

Marianna Spring, the BBC’s social media investigations correspondent, speaks to Nobel Peace Prize-winning journalist Maria Ressa, co-founder of the independent Filipino news outlet Rappler.

With over 40 years in journalism, Maria describes today’s information landscape as a war zone, where online attacks, including doxxing, misogynistic hashtags, and manipulated images don’t just stay online. They spill into real-world intimidation and violence.

This conversation explores the rise of online misogyny, the weaponisation of social media by authoritarian regimes, and the global impact on press freedom. Maria draws on her experience in the Philippines to offer insights for resisting digital repression and calls out tech giants for failing to protect democracy.

She also shares her vision for accountability and action and what needs to happen to safeguard journalism and democracy in the digital age. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presenter: Marianna Spring Producer(s): Clare Williamson, Farhana Haider Editor: Justine Lang

Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.

(Image: Maria Ressa Credit: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(1916)

Chaka Khan, singer: Music is a calling

“This is a calling. It's bigger than anything in your life as an individual. If you found the thing that you were put on this planet to do, and a lot of people are put on this planet and they don't kn...

24 Mai 26min

Jennifer Riria, banking chief: Financial system still excludes women

“Most of Africa is rural, and although urbanisation is taking root now, the systems that deliver financial services to women are still eluding them.” Leanna Byrne speaks to microfinance pioneer Dr J...

21 Mai 23min

Daniel Noboa, Ecuador President: A war on gangs

“This is a war. We will treat it as a war, and first thing that we want is the war to end. We want peace. We want a better life for our people, especially for our youth.”Caitriona Perry speaks to Ecua...

19 Mai 23min

Fatima Bio, Sierra Leone First Lady: Speaking up

BBC journalist Megha Mohan speaks to Sierra Leone’s first lady, Fatima Bio, about escaping child marriage at the age of 13, rebuilding her life as a refugee in London, and her rise to become one of th...

17 Mai 23min

Leopoldo Lopez, Venezuelan opposition leader: I am not bitter

James Menendez speaks to Leopoldo Lopez, once the most prominent face of Venezuela’s opposition, he is now living in exile in Spain. He spent more than a decade attempting to unseat Nicolás Maduro’s...

14 Mai 23min

Yurii Tokar: Russia deployed Kenyans to death zone

“Russians collected all Kenyans and did everything for them to go to the front line, to go to the death zone.”Waihiga Mwaura speaks to Yurii Tokar the Ukraine ambassador to Kenya. The Ukrainian claims...

12 Mai 23min

Mikhail Ulyanov: Rescuing Iran nuclear talks

“It’s outrageous because these nuclear plant facilities were certified by the International Atomic Energy Agency as purely peaceful facilities. The inspectors, they spent, there, a lot of time, 24 hou...

10 Mai 21min

Hanan Balkhy, WHO chief for Sudan and Iran: work continues despite conflicts

“During the recent conflict [in Iran], there was a pause, not a full stop or halt of the functions. Once the airspace opened up again, we reprioritized the delivery of those life-saving kits to the me...

7 Mai 22min