Public Sphere – Digital after COVID-19

Re-configuring the news ecosystem – requiring platforms to pay for content

May 13, 2020 Jonathan DonnerPublic Sphere

Australia Wants Facebook And Google To Pay News Outlets For Their Content. Could Governments Around The World Follow?

As the coronavirus pandemic decimates the economics of the news industry, the Australian government is stepping in. It may not be the only one.

Australia Moves to Force Google and Facebook to Compensate Media Outlets

The decision, announced after talks on a voluntary system stalled, is part of a global push to save local news organizations.

Australia is early out of the gate with a plan to require Facebook and Google to help pay for news content they link to, as a way of sharing advertising revenue..

The explorations and negotiations leading to this proposed policy shift were underway prior to COVID-19, but the pandemic (and its acceleration of the crisis in news) has added urgency.

Change model: direct regulatory action

Intended goal: support legacy news operations and local and national journalism

European Commission Strategy: Digital technologies – actions in response to coronavirus pandemic

April 23, 2020April 23, 2020 Jonathan DonnerDigital Livelihoods, Identity and Privacy, Public Sphere

Digital technologies – actions in response to coronavirus pandemic

The European Commission has been working to coordinate, complement and initiate measures to deal with every aspect of the coronavirus pandemic, and digital, media and telecoms play a vital role. Digital technologies have never been more important in our lives, and making sure Europe has the infrastructure, the connectivity and the regulations in place to respond to coronavirus and to keep people active and safe online is our mission.

Key Quote: “Shaping Europe’s Digital Future”

Follow links for details on Data, artificial intelligence and supercomputers, Telecommunications, networks and connectivity, Online platforms and disinformation, and skills, collaborative working and creativity

Change Model: Policy

Letter to social media platforms: preserve coronavirus misinformation data

April 23, 2020April 23, 2020 Jonathan DonnerPublic Sphere

Researchers want social media companies to preserve coronavirus misinformation data

[The Verge 2.22.20] The Committee to Protect Journalists, Access Now, the EFF, and other organizations have asked social media companies to preserve misinformation takedown data during the coronavirus pandemic for future research and transparency purposes.

Change Model: Advocacy

Open Society Foundations’ response takes the long view

April 17, 2020April 17, 2020 Jonathan DonnerDigital Livelihoods, Digital Political Economy, Identity and Privacy, Public Sphere

Going Big against COVID-19

“In this perilous moment, Open Society is committing more than $130 million to provide relief for communities who will suffer the greatest impact.”

“For many of us, the pandemic has underlined the challenges to our globalized world, and to the old ways of running our economies, posed by the existential threat of climate change. The current catastrophe also presents an opportunity—an opportunity to push for fundamental changes needed to build societies that are stronger and more resilient in addressing the challenges to come. I assure you that the Open Society Foundations will be an active participant in this search for a better world to emerge from the trauma of our present horror.”
Patrick Gaspard – Open Society Foundations

WhatsApp limits forwards to reduce viral disinformation

April 9, 2020April 17, 2020 Jonathan DonnerPublic Sphere

WhatsApp introduces new limit on message forwards to fight spread of misinformation – TechCrunch

WhatsApp is imposing additional restriction on how frequently a message can be shared on its platform in its latest effort to curtail the spread of misinformation. The Facebook -owned instant messaging service said today that any message that has been forwarded five or more times will now face a new…

While Facebook and YouTube might be changing content moderation approaches, this move by WhatsApp is a structural approach, reducing the number of times a message can be forwarded. Will it stay in place after the pandemic recedes?

It is a powerful change model, as WhatsApp knows it can literally encode (shape) the terms on which speech and ideas can spread between people.

COVID-19 Civic Freedom Tracker

April 8, 2020April 17, 2020 Jonathan DonnerIdentity and Privacy, Public Sphere

Keep Civic Space Healthy. This tracker monitors government responses to the pandemic that affect civic freedoms and human rights, focusing on emergency laws.

COVID-19 Civic Freedom Tracker

The COVID-19 Civic Freedom Tracker follows governmental responses to the coronavirus pandemic that affects civic freedoms and human rights, with a focus on emergency laws.

The change model implied by this organizational action is that an updated tracker will help policymakers remain alert to the risks to civic freedom emerging from the COVID-19 responses.

Index launches global project to map media freedom during coronavirus crisis

April 8, 2020April 17, 2020 Jonathan DonnerPublic Sphere

“We have created this monitoring map, in conjunction with Justice for Journalists Foundation, to track media violations during the coronavirus crisis. It reports on the detention or arrest of journalists and physical attacks. It also covers the introduction of new legislation or changes to existing laws that threaten to stop journalists from doing their jobs and social media restrictions that threaten the free reporting of information.”
Index

Index launches global project to map media freedom during COVID-19 crisis – IFEX

The current crisis has seen an increase in attacks and violations against the media, as well as other alarming news pertaining to privacy and freedoms. Once these freedoms are eroded they are hard to get back.

The change model implied by this organizational action is that an updated tracker will help policymakers remain alert to the risks to media freedom emerging from the COVID-19 responses.