Archive | Media

The EU goes full Orwell

Earlier this week we learned that the EU has initiated a cooperation with Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Microsoft to swiftly remove internet content that we are not supposed to see. Link»

And now the EU Commission would like to regulate what can be shown on tv, on-demand-services such as Netflix and possibly even Youtube.

The new suggested rule is that at least 20 percent of all on-demand content and 50 percent of all television content must be produced in Europe.

This is suggested in the revision of the EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD). Link»

In other words, in one weeks time, the EU has launched a new level of Internet censorship – and suggested new guidelines for what kind of audiovisual content the people ought to consume.

This is bad, in so many ways.

First of all, who are politicians and eurocrats to tell us what audiovisual content we are supposed to watch?

Second, it is totally absurd that the country of origin of a tv-production should decide if it is to be shown or not, rather than its subject, quality, and public demand.

Third, this is ill-conceived cultural protectionism.

Fourth, when the ruling political class tries to control what audiovisual content we can or cannot, should or should not see – society is swiftly moving in a totalitarian direction.

These suggested EU rules must be stopped.

/ HAX

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Mass surveillance, journalists and their sources

The threat of mass surveillance on reporting, particularly work of an investigative nature, may “all but eliminate” confidential sources and the value they bring to journalism.

This is one of the conclusion presented in a new academic research paper, “No more sources? The impact of Snowden’s revelations on journalists and their confidential sources”, published on 24 May and authored by Paul Lashmar, journalist and senior lecturer at University of Sussex. (…)

“Journalists need to be more outspoken about the impact of surveillance in preventing them from delivering their most important role, bringing to account government and the powerful when they are errant,” Lashmar wrote.

Journalism.co.uk: Research highlights the impact of the threat of surveillance on journalists and their sources »

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