Social media platforms “treat a lie the same way you would treat a fact,” Maria Ressa urges. CEO of Rappler, a Filipino online news site that focuses on editorial independence and total transparency, Ressa actively fights for press freedom and the awareness of misinformation.
Following the declaration of martial law in the Philippines, Ressa moved to the United States and earned an English degree from Princeton University. Upon her return to Manila, Ressa watched as her country shifted away from its authoritarianist past and moved toward democracy—the Filipino People Power Revolution. Consequently, Ressa began to pursue journalism in the changing world around her.
Working for a variety of news organizations, she focused on investigative journalism, seeking the truth against terrorist networks and other threats to human rights.
Eventually, Ressa founded Rappler, a website unique for its criticism of the then-current president of Questioning the credibility of the Philippine government, Rappler as well as Ressa faced relentless criticism and harassment for exposure of corruption.
Ressa’s courageous efforts have not gone unrecognized. In 2021, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her “efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace.”