Democracy hinges on a trusted press delivering accurate information, yet current self-regulation is failing and undermining democratic decision-making.

The piece recalls the Leveson Inquiry and its call for an independent regulatory system, noting that its proposals were not fully implemented, leaving a regulatory gap.

It highlights concrete examples of misinformation and sensationalism, such as misleading migration and welfare coverage and a grieving mother’s daughter's fatal road-accident footage published online, showing how IPSO mishandled the situation and illustrating regulatory dysfunction.

IPSO is criticized as ineffective because it is controlled by the newspaper industry, lacks real enforcement power, and has never fined a newspaper, raising questions about accountability.

Public confidence depends on fair, independent, and transparent complaint handling; freedom of the press and accountability are not at odds, and independent standards should also apply to those shaping public opinion, including social media platforms.

Urgent reform is needed to ensure transparency and accountability for power to influence public opinion, to prevent widening gaps between perception and reality and shield democracy from manipulation and misinformation.

Lord Watts argues that without reform, institutional trust will erode, public debate will polarize further, and democracy will weaken.