The anonymity of the internet can be powerfully alluring, and it can be difficult to stay away. So-called extremely online communities, fringe groups that traffic in niche ideology and post absurdities under anonymity, have an appeal that’s hard to explain and impossible to deny. Furthermore, these nihilistic communities are increasingly birthing the neologisms and rhetoric that eventually trickle down to the mainstream. At this point, it’s near impossible to pretend that internet culture is truly separate from “real” culture. Read full article here
Research
Improving media literacy could boost trust towards the news, IMPRESS report suggests
The UK media is regulated by the likes of IPSO and Ofcom. The report by press regulator IMPRESS highlights the link between low levels of media literacy and trust in the news. The study found that three quarters of those who did not know if journalists were regulated did not trust the news. It suggests that improving media literacy is one way to stem the erosion of trust, and shows that audiences have an appetite for information on news processes. Stakeholders need to collaborate in order to rebuild trust in the news, and independent media is well placed to do this. Read full article here
Merv
February 1, 2023
