Costas Cleanthous, co-founder of XM Group and controlling owner of the Phileleftheros Media Group, which publishes this article, has issued a public statement on misinformation and the limits of free expression, warning that democratic freedom of speech cannot serve as cover for defamation, the spread of false claims, or the public targeting of individuals without evidence.
The full statement:
Freedom of expression is the foundation of every democratic society. It cannot, however, become cover for defamation, the spread of false claims, or the public condemnation of people without evidence.
Misinformation does not only harm those who find themselves in its crosshairs. It erodes trust in institutions, poisons public discourse and ultimately weakens society itself.
Those who are in the public eye must be prepared to be judged. That is part of the responsibility that comes with any public presence — which is why I do not believe the answer to misinformation lies in personal confrontation.
The issue is not criticism. The issue is what happens when defamation is presented as truth, suspicion as evidence, and toxicity as public debate. Against that, neither silence nor private disagreement is enough. We need the courage to say it publicly.
It is my obligation to speak, because this issue concerns the kind of society we want to hand to the next generation. A society where truth carries more value than impressions, facts matter more than rumours, and institutions are stronger than noise.
Truth, accountability and responsibility should not be left behind in the digital age.
This is not the responsibility of a few. It is the responsibility of all of us.
Those who see, must speak. And those who stay silent must know they are taking a side.
Because in the end, we are judged not only by what we said, but above all by what we have put up with.