Can you express how mad you are about the treatment of Ughyurs in China if you don’t do the same for the treatment of migrants on the US border? Some genuinely believe that we should know about every societal issue and be outraged by them simultaneously. This is “whataboutism”, where people accuse others of selective attention so they can be noticed online. They’re not arguing in good faith; they want to bring others down and prop themselves up by seeming to care about more issues than anyone else. 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
