As Sean McDonald writes, if digital transformation is justified by vaguely defined appeals to the public good, rather than by a clear articulation of the problem it is meant to solve, and for whom, it can provide political cover for the system’s architect, and their allies. And while systemic oppression of the weak by the strong, via technocratic policy delivery, is not new, technology amplifies everything.
The business model of journalism is in trouble. The result: a substantial decline in newsrooms, large-scale layoffs of reporters and the emergence of vast news deserts — communities with no journalism at all. Following his conversation with American media studies scholar Victor Pickard on the Big Tech podcast, Taylor Owen considers Pickard’s call for a renaissance in public funding for journalism.
On June 28, long-time member of Parliament Catherine McKenna made the surprise announcement that she will not be running in the next federal election. Although she has said that online “noise” was not behind her departure, McKenna has long been the target of hateful sexist vitriol on social media. She is not alone; many women, including journalists and politicians of all stripes, have experienced online hate and harassment. As Canada and other nations consider regulations to address online hate, CIGI presents a roundup of our experts’ analysis and insight on this growing problem.
Computational propaganda — the use of automation, algorithms and other digital technology to spread falsehoods and manipulate public opinion — is a growing problem. Stemming this flow is neither simple or easy. But it must be done regardless, as Samuel Woolley, author of The Reality Game: How the Next Wave of Technology Will Break the Truth, explains.
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