On 20 June 2025, a national workshop on Digital Platforms and Online Media Governance was held in Skopje, organized by Partners Serbia with support from UNESCO and in partnership with Metamorphosis Foundation. The event formed part of the EU-funded project “Building Trust in Media in South-East Europe: Support to Journalism as a Public Good.”

The workshop convened 20 representatives from government institutions, media regulatory bodies, civil society organizations, academia, and media professionals. Its purpose was to foster an inclusive dialogue on the challenges and opportunities surrounding platform regulation, digital content governance, and media freedom in North Macedonia’s rapidly evolving digital environment.

Key presentations included a draft risk assessment report on digital media governance in North Macedonia, UNESCO’s Guidelines for the Governance of Digital Platforms (2024), and findings from a broader regional study with a specific annex on North Macedonia. These served as the foundation for a critical discussion on the country’s current regulatory framework.

Participants identified several pressing concerns: although digital media were recently incorporated into national legislation, the framework remains heavily influenced by private interests and lacks transparency. Outdated audiovisual regulations, opaque lawmaking processes, and political interference—particularly in state-funded political advertising—undermine media independence. Additionally, participants highlighted insufficient media literacy efforts, challenges in online media registration, and a lack of clear policies addressing the role of influencers in the digital media space.

UNESCO’s Regional Project Coordinator, Joshua Massarenti, stressed the importance of rights-based, transparent, and accountable governance of digital platforms, consistent with Sustainable Development Goal 16.10. UNESCO’S guidelines advocate for independent oversight and multistakeholder participation to safeguard media freedom and ensure democratic access to information.

The workshop concluded with broad agreement on the need for transparent and participatory legislative reforms, clearer definitions of online media and influencer roles, institutionalized support for media literacy, and stronger alignment with European standards such as the Digital Services Act and the European Media Freedom Act.

The feedback collected will be integrated into the final North Macedonia annex and risk assessment report, due for publication in July 2025.