May 3rd marked the 30th anniversary of the global celebration of World Press Freedom Day, which highlights the history of the press and its vitality in ensuring the voices of the people are heard and preserved. 

While the United States of America has protected this sacred right by guaranteeing this right via the 1st Amendment in our Bill of Rights, there are many places around the world that do not have such measures. Journalists and writers can be persecuted, silenced, imprisoned or worse for their work in some cases. 

This week and every week, we acknowledge the dangers that many journalists face, and the rights we share in the US that allow us to be bereft of these perils. Writing in pursuit of the truth is the epitome of the journalistic spirit, and we tip our hats off to all those who walk that path.

The craft of writing itself has become a topic of conversation with the rise of ChatGPT and other cheap, automated literary labor. The authenticity of academic, journalistic, and even personal writing has been placed in jeopardy. It makes you stop and ask yourself, was this even written by a person? 

It may be a relief to know that this message was in fact written by a real person, and not a computer. With the rise of these tools, the journalistic integrity that requires a hands-on, wholly personable approach remains at the forefront of our minds here at the Sullivan County Democrat.

Although it is not all bad, with some of these automated writing and editing applications providing helpful assistance in some circumstances, it is important to keep in mind what is genuinely from the thoughts of a person and what is not.

The people who do write with the intent of truth and honesty are deserving of a free press to do their best to capture the voices and feelings of the people in the era of time that they are in. With that being said, we wish all those who write around the globe experience safety and security as we continue to celebrate and remember World Press Freedom Day this week.