The world needs free, rigorous and objective journalism, otherwise people will be unable to distinguish between "fact and fiction" and "true and false", as in totalitarian rules, Pope Leo said on Thursday.

He said free access to information is a pillar that upholds the edifice of our societies. "For this reason we are called to defend it (freedom of press) and guarantee it," he said.

In an address to invited executives of global news agencies at the Vatican, the Pope said journalism should be "freed from unfair competition and from the degrading practice of so-called clickbait," he said. PTI executives were among those present.

He added that news agencies are at the frontlines of protecting the "right to accurate and balanced information." Pope Leo is a strong proponent of free press, and immediately after being chosen to the position, he had met journalists from around the world to appeal for release of imprisoned journalists.

The Pope said the communications sector "cannot" and "must not" separate its work from sharing the truth as he urged news agencies "never sell out your authority".

Underlining the media's crucial role in forming consciences and helping critical thinking, he said it is a "paradox that in the age of communication, news and media agencies are undergoing a period of crisis." "Similarly, those who consume information are also in crisis, often mistaking the false for the true and the authentic for the artificial. Yet, no one today can say, 'I did not know'," he said.

Pope Leo, the first American to occupy the throne of St Peter, also called for vigilance to ensure that technology does not replace humans, pointing out that Artificial Intelligence is changing the way information is received.

"Algorithms generate content and data at a scale and speed never seen before. But who controls them? Artificial intelligence is changing the way we receive information and communicate, but who directs it and for what purposes?" "We must be vigilant in order to ensure that technology does not replace human beings, and that the information and algorithms that govern it today are not in the hands of a few," he said.

The Pope, emphasising the need for free, rigorous and objective information, referred to American historian Hannah Arendt's warning in her 1951 book, The Origins of Totalitarianism, that "the ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the convinced Communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction and the distinction between true and false no longer exist." He also underlined the important role of news agencies in the era of "increasingly pervasive" digitisation of mass media.

"As you well know, those who work for a news agency are expected to write quickly, under pressure, even in very complex and dramatic situations." "For these reasons, your service requires competence, courage and a sense of ethics. This is invaluable and must be an antidote to the proliferation of 'junk' information," he said.

The Pope also highlighted the importance of "transparency of sources and ownership, accountability, quality and objectivity" saying they are key to restoring the role of citizens as protagonists.

He also lauded the journalists reporting from various conflict zones and paid glowing tributes to those who died in the line of duty.

"Every day, there are reporters who put their lives at risk to inform people about what is really happening. In times such as ours, marked by widespread and violent conflicts, many have died while carrying out their duties." "They are victims of war and of the ideology of war, which seeks to prevent journalists from being there at all. We must not forget them! If today we know what is happening in Gaza, Ukraine, and every other land bloodied by bombs, we largely owe it to them," he said.

"These extraordinary eyewitness accounts are the culmination of the daily efforts of countless people who work to ensure that information is not manipulated for ends that are contrary to truth and human dignity," he added.

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