Saturday, November 3, 2018

“Scrutinising the media: Fake news, censorship, and war” – Nov 4



It looks like people are doing something about the fake news and propaganda in our media.
A reminder that the event “Scrutinising the media: Fake news, censorship, and war” is taking place tomorrow, Sunday Nov 4, Lincoln, UK. It promises to be an interesting and highly relevant discussion.
More information at the events’s website. Or contact the organiser David Hughes at dhughes@lincoln.ac.ukThis event will engage the public in discussion and debate about journalistic objectivity in traditional and social media. The aim is to raise public awareness of the techniques used by the media in order to condition public opinion, particularly with respect to war, so that citizens might make better informed judgments about the news they consume.
The event will be centred on the topical concept of ‘fake news’ and will explore how that concept is being used to legitimise censorship. Attention will be drawn to the online censorship campaign currently being waged by Google, Facebook, Twitter, and Wikipedia. The media’s role in legitimising US/UK military intervention in Syria will be explored, as will attempts by mainstream news sources to close down any challenge to the official narrative. The case of Julian Assange and its implications for free speech and liberal values will be discussed and debated.
Speakers will include David Hughes (University of Lincoln), Piers Robinson (Sheffield University) and Julie Hyland (Deputy National Secretary of the Socialist Equality Party). David is the event organiser, Piers is a member of the Working Group on Syria, Propaganda, and Media, and Julie campaigns against internet censorship on behalf of the World Socialist Web Site.
Off-Guardian

 Scrutinising the media: Fake news, censorship, and war” – Nov 4

1 comment:

Konrad said...

“Attention will be drawn to the online censorship campaign currently being waged by Google, Facebook, Twitter, and Wikipedia.”

Censorship doesn’t stop there.

On 27 Oct 2018, one of Gab.com’s 800,000 members allegedly shot up that Pittsburgh synagogue.

In response, web hosting companies (e.g. Joyent), plus domain name registries (e.g. GoDaddy) plus payment processing platforms (e.g. PayPal) immediately shut down Gab.com.

When Facebook purges an opinion, people say, “It’s Facebook’s right, since they are a privately owned company.” However all rhetoric about “privately owned company” is ignored when one person among 800,000 commits a criminal act against Jews. “Shut down the entire platform!”

Meanwhile Google, Facebook, Twitter, and Wikipedia wanted Gab.com shut down because they will not tolerate defiance or competition. They are just like television corporate media outlets.

“The media’s role in legitimizing US/UK military intervention in Syria will be explored, as will attempts by mainstream news sources to close down any challenge to the official narrative.”

As you can see, media propaganda controls the mass narrative, including criticism of media propaganda.

The proxy war against Syria is not an “intervention.” NATO’s destruction of Libya was not an “intervention.” Sanctions against Russia, Cuba, and Venezuela are not an “intervention.”