The traditional press has two roles, one as a check on public figures, and another as a form of entertainment. Increasingly, as Franklin argues: Continue reading
The International Forum for Responsible Media Blog
The traditional press has two roles, one as a check on public figures, and another as a form of entertainment. Increasingly, as Franklin argues: Continue reading
Despite the concerns raised and criticism surrounding the acquisition of social media platform Twitter by the billionaire Elon Musk, on April 26 Twitter’s board agreed to a $44bn takeover, sending shockwaves across the Internet. The deal is currently ‘temporarily on hold’ as Musk announced (via Twitter) on May 13 pending clarification of the true number of spam accounts on the platform, but Musk insists he is committed to the purchase. Continue reading
Twitter reports that fewer than 5% of accounts are fakes or spammers, commonly referred to as “bots.” Since his offer to buy Twitter was accepted, Elon Musk has repeatedly questioned these estimates, even dismissing Chief Executive Officer Parag Agrawal’s public response. Continue reading
The social media feud turned libel trial between Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy has come to a close. While a judgement isn’t expected for some time, the legal battle between two media personalities married to former England footballers has proven at least one thing – that social media is a high-risk area for defamation claims. Continue reading
On 25 April 2022, Twitter’s board of directors accepted Elon Musk’s US$44 billion hostile takeover bid. Twitter’s statement announcing the deal included comments from the Tesla and SpaceX CEO: Continue reading
Social media allowed us to connect with one another like never before. But it came with a price – it handed a megaphone to everyone, including terrorists, child abusers and hate groups. EU institutions recently reached agreement on the Digital Services Act (DSA), which aims to “make sure that what is illegal offline is dealt with as illegal online”. Continue reading
During the Gilded Age of the late 19th century, and the early decades of the 20th century, U.S. captains of industry such as William Randolph Hearst and Jay Gould used their massive wealth to dominate facets of the economy, including the news media. They were, in many ways, prototype oligarchs – by the dictionary definition, “very rich business leaders with a great deal of political influence.” Continue reading
News that the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, is buying Twitter has sent the world into a spin, dividing those who advocate for unfettered free speech – like Musk – and those who believe that some platforms wield too much power and influence. But the ultimate outcome for Twitter may depend heavily on social media regulation. Continue reading
There is broad consensus that a greater degree of regulation of online content is necessary, but the aims of the proposed new Online Safety Bill in the UK could be undermined by a lack of clarity over the way the legislation is to be implemented and enforced. Continue reading
Elon Musk is the planet’s number one billionaire. If anyone can turn cyberspace into a heaven – or hell – of free speech “absolutism” via a US$44 billion (£35 billion) Twitter takeover, then surely he’s the man. Right? Continue reading
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