Nicosia, Cyprus. Businessman and Phileleftheros publisher Costas Cleanthous raised concerns over the limits of freedom of expression, saying democratic free speech cannot be used to justify defamation. He also warned that misinformation undermines institutions and erodes social trust.
Statement on freedom of expression
In a statement published in Phileleftheros, Cleanthous said freedom of expression is a foundation of democratic society, but cannot become an excuse for slander, the spread of false claims or the public condemnation of people without evidence.
Warning on misinformation
He said misinformation does not only harm those who are targeted, but also erodes trust in institutions, poisons public debate and ultimately weakens society.
Public responsibility and criticism
Cleanthous said people in the public eye must be prepared to be judged, describing this as part of the responsibility that accompanies public presence. He said he did not consider personal confrontation to be the answer to misinformation.
He added that the issue was not criticism itself, but what happens when slander is presented as truth, suspicion as evidence and toxicity as public debate. He said that in the face of this, neither silence nor private disagreement is adequate and that there must be courage to say so publicly.
Duty to speak out
Cleanthous said he felt duty-bound to speak because the issue concerns the kind of society passed on to future generations, one in which truth has greater value than impressions, facts carry greater weight than rumours and institutions have greater power than noise.
Call for accountability
He concluded that truth, accountability and responsibility cannot become casualties of the digital age, adding that this is not the responsibility of a few but of everyone. He said those who see what is happening are obliged to speak, and that those who remain silent should know they are taking a position.
He also said people are judged not only on what they have said, but also on what they have tolerated.
