Syria is only just emerging from decades of Assad rule, during which the regime and its security forces tightly controlled media narratives, leveraging fear to keep the population in line.
The country now faces a new set of challenges that could derail efforts aimed at its rebuilding and at restoring trust in the government. The amplification of sectarian discourse by social media algorithms and the growing prevalence of AI-generated content threaten to further divide the country, raising the risk of renewed violence and complicating the work of both the Syrian government and the international community.
Facing these challenges requires a healthy, open, and well-resourced media ecosystem where journalists can work freely without interference, intimidation, or threat, whether from the government or otherwise. In that vein, independent media outlets must also be backed through financial assistance and supportive legislation.
Distrust in government
The dangers of the unhealthy information space in Syria were put on display during the clashes between government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Aleppo and the northeast earlier this year. Videos of soldiers calling Kurds derogatory names went viral as hate speech spiked online. In one widely circulated video from Aleppo, a member of the government forces threw the dead body of a woman off a high-floor balcony. Reports said the woman was Kurdish and a member of the Asayish, the internal security forces of the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of Northeast Syria.
Disinformation also ran rampant on both sides. False stories circulating at the time included claims that SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi had voiced ambitions for the his forces to “fully recapture all of Aleppo” and an AI-generated video claiming that Assad-era officials were fighting alongside the SDF in Der Hafir town, north of the country. These narratives instilled fear and distrust in society, which undermined efforts by the state to bring about peace and justice.
For its part, the Syrian government has said it is working to build a pluralistic national media to counter false narratives. A government official told me in January that the Ministry of Communications has a “dedicated department” tasked with dismantling disinformation networks and investigating who is behind them. The Ministry of Information also issued directives against the spread of false information last year, though questions remain over fair and equal enforcement and what the government may include in this category.
A pluralistic media ecosystem with a variety of information sources, therefore, can help build an environment where people can access transparent and accurate information
These initiatives are welcome, but the government and society as a whole would benefit from a plurality of information sources that critically cover important events in the country. Ahmed al-Sharaa and the transitional government enjoy high levels of trust among certain groups of Syrians, but the violence and massacres of 2025 have kept that trust from extending to the whole population, particularly minorities and those in civil society.
A pluralistic media ecosystem with a variety of information sources, therefore, can help build an environment where people can access transparent and accurate information, irrespective of their trust in the government.
Whether Syria is moving in that direction is, so far, a mixed picture.
Some, but limited, improvement
The Syrian government has focused heavily on improving training for security forces to avoid a repeat of the massacres and violent episodes that devastated communities in 2025. Still, some locals harbor fears based on recent history. For example, in Kurdish-majority areas like Kobani (Ain al-Arab) and Qamishli, residents told me that the violent episodes on the coast and Suwayda in March and July 2025—which involved grave abuses by government forces—were still fresh in their minds.
Journalists also describe a recurrent pattern in how officials behave during tense times, often restricting or denying access to areas of conflict even to reporters with valid work permits. At other times, they say reporters with pro-government views or who work for international outlets seen as sympathetic to the government are granted access ahead of other media representatives.
And while the press in Syria has enjoyed more freedom since the fall of the Assad regime, with many reporters who had previously published clandestinely now using their real names, working conditions for journalists have only improved marginally.
Reporters Without Borders’ yearly ranking of press freedoms around the world showed Syria rising only two places to 177 out of 180 countries in 2025. Journalists’ freedom remains “fragile” due to “ongoing political instability and mounting economic pressures,” the organization said.
New restrictions have also been introduced, such as a Ministry of Information prohibiting journalists from interviewing former regime officials. And in June, the ministry issued new directives that ban “offending public morals.”
Still, the move toward a more open media ecosystem is encouraging and can be bolstered by the hard work of Syrian journalists on the ground.
Media landscape and access
The new administration is now communicating via social media, media interviews, and the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), a sign that officials understand the importance of communication with their constituents.
Many Syrian journalists and media outlets have also worked hard to expand their coverage in the post-Assad era. A wide array of independent media outlets or fact-checking platforms report critically on the country’s affairs today in Arabic and English. Many emerged from the Syrian Revolution and the war and have covered the country—either inside Syria or from the diaspora. A non-exhaustive list includes Enab Baladi, Al-Jumhuriya, Aks al Seir, Radio Rozana, and Syria Direct.
These outlets regularly provide crucial, in-depth expertise, and the local perspective badly needed to understand the barrage of news coming out of Syria. However, their prominence in the country is relatively dwarfed by other elements in the landscape, namely international media and social media influencers.
Regional and international media, particularly outlets like Al Jazeera or Syria TV, have expanded their coverage with full-time bureaus or correspondents in the country, relying on experienced Syrian stringers (part-time or freelance reporters) who have covered the better part of the uprising and the war. Some local journalists say that these outlets have better access to government officials or flashpoints in the country than independent local media who may be seen by the government as less supportive of their policies.
Meanwhile, many influencers or media personalities have followings in the hundreds of thousands or even millions, making them some of the most viewed and influential voices in the country. Some of them have taken fervently pro-government positions; in October, Al-Jumhuriya described two of Syria’s most-followed media figures as “leading architects of the government’s messaging.”
The Syrian media landscape is, at the moment, imbalanced, favoring pro-government commentators and figures over independent or critical voices.
Building trust
There is still more work to be done so that reliable and independent media outlets can play their crucial role in keeping Syria stable.
In February, the transitional government released a code of conduct for media professionals in the country. Information Minister Hamza al-Mustafa said the text is not aimed at restricting media workers and content creators, but at encouraging “responsibility and professionalism.”
Still, the government would do well to work on a solid media law, focused on openness and transparency
Still, the government would do well to work on a solid media law, focused on openness and transparency, that ensures access for local and international journalists without favoring “friendly” outlets. Such a media law would protect the rights of independent, non-state-aligned, and international media to report critically on issues concerning Syrian residents and citizens. It would also enable media workers to operate freely inside the country, including foreigners who still are unable to obtain official residencies.
There will always be bad-faith actors who misrepresent events, but transparency will help build much-needed trust between the government and the parts of Syrian society that remain skeptical of all its actions and statements.
Independent media is also critical to developing a media ecosystem in Syria that will ensure a healthy social and political environment for reconstruction and state building. It should be funded and provided with the proper working conditions and permissions to convey transparent information to Syrian citizens. Helping independent outlets pay living wages to their reporters and staff will go a long way toward improving their coverage and the quality of information that comes out of Syria for policy makers, diplomats, and the population inside and outside of the country.
Justin Salhani is a former Nonresident Fellow at TIMEP focusing on misinformation and disinformation in the Levant.