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One Our Radar: Fines For Fact-Checkers, Palestinian Social Media Censorship, and More

Megan Healey Megan Healey
Artsandculture
23rd May 2021
One Our Radar: Fines For Fact-Checkers, Palestinian Social Media Censorship, and More

Note: The views and opinions expressed in blog/editorial posts are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the views or opinions of Misbar.

The conversation surrounding misinformation, fake news, and fact-checking is constantly evolving. As changing technology changes the way we take in information, new cultural and ethical considerations arise. Here is our weekly round-up of recent readings, podcasts, and other media that addresses the latest issues in fact-checking.

What We’re Reading:

Michigan representative Matt Maddock (who has been active in attempts to challenge the outcome of the 2020 election) introduced a bill that would require fact-checkers to register with the state and to pay fines for inaccurate reporting. Maddock believes that a “social power is being abused,” and that fact-checkers relish punishing those who make false claims.

Journalists and writers have noticed that their posts about the violence in Palestine have suddenly disappeared, or have been flagged for breaking terms of use. Some believe social media networks are deliberately censoring Palestinian content. 

This op-ed debunks the myth that the current so-called labor shortage is happening because people would rather collect unemployment and stimulus checks than work. The author, a CEO of a workforce development system, argues that this belief is an insult to the working class, rooted in class, gender and racial bias.

Images in a story about misinformation can often do more damage, as someone might only glance at a photo and not read the accompanying story. The solution: placing overlays on top of images helps provide context to readers and prevent them from being used in misleading contexts.

Some believe the myth that being around those who are vaccinated can cause fertility problems. Social media makes the idea of “vaccine shedding” even more extreme.

What We’re Watching:

In this documentary, television journalists reveal the emotional and physical toll it took to cover live stories during the coronavirus pandemic. 

As artificial intelligence becomes more advanced, this documentary investigates bias in facial recognition technology and social media algorithms.