Free speech and the internet

While the media face some extremely difficult decisions in today’s operating environment, they do not need to burden themselves with the belief that every decision not to publish is the violation of an inviolable right.

Images and distorted facts

We live in a dangerous age where the internet makes it possible to spread misinformation far and wide and many people lack the skills to discern fact from fiction. Here are five ways for us all to improve our media literacy and fact-checking skills.

Trump’s Twitter ban and the limits of free speech

Trump’s recent suspension from social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook raises questions about the limits of free speech in a functioning democracy. The recent move signals that while online platforms welcome debate, when it is accompanied by violence they must draw a line.

Shutting the stable doors of social media

The past few years have presented high stakes . Yet there have been plenty of opportunities to stop the situation snowballing to where it is now.

W.W.Whistleblowing

The traditional divide between journalism and espionage has blurred, as has the boundary between the protection of national security, and the cover up of nefarious practices of politicians, tycoons, and bureaucrats.

Australia’s electoral system isn’t immune to US-style conspiracy theories

Australia should build trust in the electoral system through awareness campaigns to educate the public on the voting process, how their votes are counted and the steps being taken to ensure systems are secure.

Fighting fake news with humour

A range of approaches is required to limit the production and dissemination of questionable content, and officialdom needs to change the way it communicates in the digital age, including the use of humour.

Tackling disinformation on social media platforms

The speed with which falsehoods can outpace truth and spread around the world has been noted since the 18th century, but the Republican spin campaign to dispute the 2020 Presidential election result has again highlighted the role of social media platforms in spreading – or limiting – ‘fake news’.

The struggle for truth in the era of deep-fakes

When our senses are drowned in a flood of dubious images how will we make the truth more resilient to maintain stable governance, trust in institutions and faith in the evening news?

New handbook helps citizens to debunk fake news

The battle against fake news has gained a powerful new weapon, with leading experts across the globe penning a free new handbook describing the best ways to combat misinformation.

Is News Corp bad for democracy?

A strong regulatory code to ensure that news media cover a wide range of political perspectives, assess them independently, and promote informed public debate would usefully complement restrictions on any one company being allowed to dominate the market.

The government, rather than Google, could subsidise good journalism

Google and Facebook could soon be forced to pay local commercial media organisations for sharing their content on digital platforms. Making these massive digital platforms pay Australian news publishers might be good politics, but it is odd economics.