The Press Freedom Index is an annual country ranking carried out by Reporters Without Borders and published based on the organization’s assessment of the press freedom log in each country. The report is based on a questionnaire sent to organizations engaged with Reporters Without Borders. 14 freedom of expression groups in five continents and 130 reporters around the world, as well as journalists, researchers, jurists, and human rights activists, the questionnaire asks questions about attacks on journalists and media workers, as well as sources of pressure on the free press.
The 2021 index, assesses the state of press freedom in 180 countries and regions annually, shows that the press – arguably the best vaccine against the media disinformation virus – is completely blocked or seriously disabled in 73 countries and restricted in 59 other countries, which together account for 73% of the countries assessed.
Countries included in the report have been classified as “very bad,” “bad” or “problematic” for press freedom, and are accordingly identified in black, red, or orange on the World Press Freedom Map. The index data reflect a significant deterioration in people’s access to information and an increase in obstacles to news coverage.
