Information Integrity: What to expect from the French Presidency of the G7?

Constance de Leusse, Senior Advisor at the PSIA Technology and Global Affairs Innovation Hub, welcomed the guests and opened the conversation by underlining the importance of international cooperation in the field of information ecosystems, as disinformation has become a global phenomenon.

Camille Grenier, Executive Director at Forum on Information and Democracy, and Pierre Noro, Advisor at the Tech and Global Affairs Innovation Hub, presented together their recently published policy brief “Beyond ‘Fake News’: How Information Integrity Creates a Foundation for Disinformation-Resilient Societies”. They explained the notion of information integrity, its short history, and its current significance as strategies focused on simply counteracting disinformation through monitoring and debunking have shown their limits. The co-authors presented their policy recommendations to contribute towards a shared policy information integrity toolbox with adaptative tools for different national contexts and an international cooperation network of national focal points to mutualize resources and share good practices.

This initial presentation was followed by a roundtable discussion with international experts coming from journalism, diplomacy, international organizations, and tech governance. The Hub was honored to welcome in Sciences Po:

• Courtney Radsch, Director of the Center for Journalism and Liberty at the Open Markets Institute
• Marie-Doha Besancenot, Advisor on Strategic Communication, Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs
• Arthur Barichard, Director of the French AI and Digital Council
• Charles Beaubion, Head of Unit, Emerging Integrity Challenges at the OECD

The experts shared insights from their organizations’ initiatives to strengthen information ecosystems and address emerging risks linked to artificial intelligence. They also discussed France’s approach to the G7 presidency relative to the promotion of healthier information environments, alongside broader issues such as the evolving role of journalists, Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) in electoral context, and shifts in power driven by economic concentration in the digital and media sector.

The discussion and following Q&A highlighted the urgency of building and executing scalable yet tailored strategies able to strengthen information integrity through both national policies and the engagement in a multilateral dialogue to address complex challenges at the intersection of technology, democracy, and global governance. The high attendance and active engagement throughout the event reflect a growing interest in these issues in the Sciences Po community, in the French public sector, and in international organizations.