Last week, FIU hosted a “Symposium on Free Speech and Censorship” featuring legal experts, academics, journalists, and media students from FIU who spoke on topics related to the First Amendment and the emergence of artificial intelligence in journalism.
Alicia Bolton | Staff Writer
On April 8, FIU hosted the Free Speech Symposium, part of The Free Speech Project at Georgetown University and supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
This panel featured legal experts, academics, journalists, and FIU students to discuss the First Amendment and the emergence of artificial intelligence in journalism.
The panel opened with an introduction of award-winning student journalists Alejandro Marquina, Norma Huembes, Anthony Cruz, and Valentina Gaspari from the Lee Caplin School of Journalism and Media. They discussed their experiences as student journalists in the field, their previous work, their identities as first and second-generation students, and how they deal with academic overload.
On the topic of free speech, these panelists brought nuanced perspectives on “bringing truth to power,” said Anthony Cruz, anchor for Caplin News and first-place winner on investigative reporting for both the Florida Society of News Editors and Voces del Periodismo. The students highlighted the importance of telling the story from all angles and uplifting their communities with the voices they possess.
Moreover, they emphasized the importance of protecting freedom of speech. “Free speech should not be taken as courage or being brave: it should be a right,” said Huembles, Spanish-Language Journalism MA Candidate and former Miss Nicaragua (2022).
Industry professionals such as Sergio R. Bustos, Carl-Phillipe Juste, Tony Plohetski, Katie Sanders, and John McCabe were also featured at the event. The panelists conveyed the complexities of seeking truth amid disinformation in the digital age, and the responsibility of journalists and reporters to determine the facts.
They delved into the world of artificial intelligence and its growing influence on reporting.
Panelists warned of its potential for misuse and the consequences of its spread. “…the tsunami of social media and AI bots…that’s a hard thing,” said Sergio R. Bustos, VP of News for WLRN, Miami, on the impact of AI on the proliferation of misinformation on social media.
The panelists discussed the influence of misinformation, including tampered images, in the political mainstream. They warned of the dangers of perpetuating extremism and conspiracy, and discussed the erosion of the public image of the press as a result.
Yet, they were firm in their stance that truth will always find a way to the forefront.
“Truth is like light, it reflects off things…” said Carl-Phillipe Juste, Photojournalist for the Miami Herald and Director of Iris Photocollective.
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