Censorship by Any Other Name

  According to the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics , journalists should “ Take responsibility for the accuracy of their work. Verify information before releasing it. Use original sources whenever possible.  Journalists must also   “ remember that neither speed nor format excuses inaccuracy.”   On Jan. 6, 2012 “This American Life” (TAL) released a story titled Mr. Daisey and the Apple Factory , Mike Daisey’s allegedly first-hand account of working conditions at the factories of Taiwan-based Hon Hai Precision Co., Ltd, trading as Foxconn Technology Group . Foxconn manufactures iPads under license with Apple . “This American Life” is a broadcast of WBEZ Chicago . Daisey’s story became TAL’s most downloaded recording. Prior to releasing Daisey’s audio report, “This American Life” fact-checked it, verifying that Daisey’s statements about Foxconn’s relationship with Apple were correct. They did not validate Daisey’s story with his onsite translator,...

  As an author, I can personally attest to the importance of intellectual property protection. Writers, artists, musicians, tech companies, fashion designers, news media, anyone who creates for mass consumption, we all depend on it,. From foreign counterfeiting to illegal downloading and copying of music , creative works are under attack now more than ever. Artists must protect themselves, and individuals must be wary of breaking the law. Technology is only making matters worse. While Napster lost its argument that it was merely a music sharing service , the damage it did endures. YouTube and other social media have long claimed immunity to intellectual property litigation but may soon find themselves accountable for allowing posting of infringed materials . At the same time unravelling infringement claims is becoming increasingly difficult. The severity of this matter and its spiraling economic and cultural toll are impossible to overstate. Learning to respect others creati...

    According to the Pew Research Center  increasing numbers of Americans are losing faith in traditional media. Increasingly, we rely on less trustworthy sources, like internet blogs and talk radio . Identity politics has played a major role in this decline. All but 8% of Pew respondents agreed that made-up news creates either “a great deal” or “some” confusion. Driving this perception is a shift to audience targeting based on pre-existing political, social and religious biases. This, in turn, has moved much of journalism to the Wild West of the internet. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act provides safe harbor for online service providers (OSPs), such as Twitter, YouTube and Parler. The results are history . Contrary to what the act intended, sources, like  Kellyanne Conway , can now redefine reality to fit their followers' emotional needs. Despite costly damages awarded  parents of Sandy Hook school shooting victims , Alex Jones continues t...