Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community

I have tried to make the case over the last few years that traditional media - television news and newspapers, for example - bear the brunt of the responsibility for the current environment of lies and misinformation we face today, even as that same media directs most of the blame toward the internet and social media. Now Facebook and Twitter are no angels. But the agencies most responsible for misinformation are the mass media. That's why this story is interesting to me. What if traditional news media (including especially newspapers) decided to start reporting the news responsibly? "On Saturday, (the newspaper) provided an update. The paper's policy to 'not take the bait and give these false statements the oxygen they need to flourish' is going well. 'Readers responded quite favorably to what we are doing, and rest assured that people are not complaining that they miss Mandel's hate-filled invective.'" I would also add that responsible journalism makes the educator's job easier and more relevant.

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Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
stephen@downes.ca

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Last Updated: Mar 28, 2024 04:49 a.m.

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