Complaints Written by Artificial Intelligence: A New Way to Pressure the Media Discovered in Latvia

The Latvian Council for Media Ethics has recently recorded attempts by individuals to limit press freedom by using self-regulation procedures of the media. This was reported by the LETA agency, citing the council. According to the organization, such complaints are often composed using artificial intelligence tools. Their authors challenge the right of editorial offices to independently determine the content of publications, particularly when covering the war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine. Another common theme of complaints is the mention of nationality or citizenship of individuals in news stories when the information is published in an unfavorable context for them. The council claims that such complaints periodically come from individuals whom the organization characterizes as pro-Kremlin disseminators of disinformation and who have come under the scrutiny of the State Security Service, as well as from other activists. ## Complaint Due to Mention of Citizenship of the Detained As an example, the council cited a complaint from one of the politicians who objected to the publication of information by the State Border Guard. The news reported the detention of a carrier of border violators and indicated his status as a non-citizen of Latvia. The politician regarded the publication of this information as an act of discrimination, incitement of hatred, disrespect, and unethical behavior on the part of the media. However, the Council for Media Ethics disagreed with this interpretation. The organization emphasized that the State Border Guard regularly informs the public about cases of illegal border crossing and the activities of carriers of illegal migrants, including specifying the citizenship of those detained. According to the council's position, this information is of public interest, particularly in the context of hybrid actions by Russia and Belarus that contribute to illegal migration to Latvia. Among the detained carriers were both citizens and non-citizens of Latvia, as well as citizens of Estonia, Ukraine, and Poland. ## The Council Refused to Consider Such Complaints in Depth The Council for Media Ethics explained that they review incoming complaints but do not conduct in-depth examinations if they perceive an attempt to undermine editorial independence or pressure journalists. The organization's board characterized the case presented as a "brazen and cynical attempt" to influence media independence through mechanisms and procedures of self-regulation. The council emphasizes that the procedures for reviewing complaints should not become a tool for limiting the right of editorial offices to independently decide what socially significant information to publish.