How to best combat fake news and misinformation online
A simple nudge isn’t enough to tackle it – here’s what to do instead One high-profile theory of why people share fake news says that they aren’t paying sufficient attention. The proposed… (more)
AI-generated fake reports fool experts, study shows
Takeaways · AIs can generate fake reports that are convincing enough to trick cybersecurity experts. · These systems could set off an AI arms race between misinformation generators and detectors. · If widely… (more)
Local opinion coverage reduces polarization, and can bring people together: Research
Local newspapers can help reduce polarization with opinion pages that focus on local issues If you’re confused about opinion journalism and what it is, you’re not alone. Many Americans are. But… (more)
A guide to identifying the most trusted publishers on the web
To navigate the dangers of the web, you need critical thinking – but also critical ignoring The web is a treacherous place. A website’s author may not be its author. References… (more)
Apple threatens to upend podcasting’s free, open architecture
Creators will now have the option to require a payment for audiences to access their content on Apple’s platform Back in 2005, an ebullient Apple CEO Steven P. Jobs announced the… (more)
Local newspapers vastly preferred over Google: Major survey down under
Newspaper readers in rural and regional Australia are five times more likely to go directly to their local newspaper website than Google or Facebook for local information, and almost 10… (more)
Why converging cultures can make media houses more sustainable
Traditional media houses must adapt, innovate and converge to survive in the digital age. Until the arrival of the world wide web, the media model that worked revolved around money… (more)
Why some news stories get more clicks than others: Social media study
Few industries have suffered more disruption from the internet than the news media. Over two decades or more, journalism has been hit by a “perfect storm” due to the loss… (more)
Google’s scrapping third-party cookies – but targeted advertising will live on
Google has announced plans to stop using tracking cookies on its Chrome browser by 2022, replacing them with a group profiling system in a move the company says will plot… (more)
Misinformation and content overload: Challenges publishers can’t ignore (plus a Big Ben rabbit hole)
I went down the ‘rabbit hole’ to debunk misinformation – here’s what I learned about Big Ben and online information overload Big Ben was stolen from Palestine. So claimed an… (more)
It’s not just a social media problem: How search engines spread misinformation
Search engines are one of society’s primary gateways to information and people, but they are also conduits for misinformation. Similar to problematic social media algorithms, search engines learn to serve you… (more)
Facebook’s news blockade shows how tech giants are swallowing the web
When Facebook disabled Australians’ access to news articles on its platform, and blocked sharing of articles from Australian news organizations, the company moved a step closer to killing the World Wide Web… (more)
Digital giants paying for content is good news, but will it support local publishers?
That the internet has all but destroyed the business model that has always supported journalism is not news. But what has made the news around the world recently is that… (more)
Facebook versus News: Advertising is the real problem
The fight between Facebook and the Australian government is over almost before it began. Having drastically overplayed its hand by banning a vast range of content, Facebook has been forced to settle… (more)
This week’s changes are a win for Facebook, Google and the government — but what was lost along the way?
After almost a year of heated discussion about the News Media Bargaining Code, there will shortly be a new law of the land – one that’s unlikely to be applied… (more)
The news media bargaining code could backfire if small media outlets aren’t protected: An economist explains
When I was the chief economist at the US Federal Communications Commission, we oversaw was the acquisition of DirecTV, the satellite pay-TV platform, by News Corp in 2003. Prior to the merger,… (more)
Getting news from Facebook and Google is convenient — but it comes at great collective cost
Digital platforms like Facebook and Google give us easy access to media and information. But our collective dependence on these tech giants could in the long run reduce the quality… (more)
The WeChat model: How Facebook’s ban could change the business of news
Facebook’s “news ban” in response to Australia’s proposed media bargaining code, has been hard to miss if you’ve spent any time on social networks in the past day or so. The social… (more)
Facebook’s news is gone. Here’s where to turn for trusted information
How Australian news publishers and consumers can cope with Facebook’s restrictions. Notes from down under. Information is everywhere, right? Well, here in Australia, we now have one less source of… (more)
Facebook has pulled the trigger on news content — and possibly shot itself in the foot
Facebook today made good on its threat to block Australians from accessing or posting news content. The ban includes blocking links to Australian and overseas news publishers. Facebook said the ban was… (more)
