Fake news is already eroding our shared sense of reality. Now, deepfakes and AI stand to fuel disinformation and imperil democracy. An image of a deepfake video of former U.S. President Barack Obama (AP Photo) The unprecedented mob assault on the U.S. Capitol on...
Technology permeates students’ lives and has contributed many economic benefits to the world while bringing far-flung communities closer together. But what of the downsides? The polarization of society? The dangers of spending too much time on social media? Citizens being hoodwinked into believing the unreal? One of the biggest questions facing policymakers around the world today is how to protect democracy without infringing on free speech. It’s a question that is not going to go away and which students would do well to start considering today. In this article, Stuart Grudgings introduces us to some of the disturbing possibilities of deep fake technology and begs the question of what to do about it.
Journalists and NGOs often rely on each other to inform the world. But beware vested interests. It’s best to follow the money trail to see the full picture. A sign that counter-protesters lit on fire burns after supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump held...
Technology has revolutionized news photos since I launched my career decades ago. But the maxim “always be prepared” still holds true. All photos by Enrique Shore “Luck is when opportunity meets preparation.” So said Manuel León Lopez, my photojournalism...
Good journalists try to remain neutral. I once hopped on a U.S. military helicopter during the Vietnam War. Had I abandoned my principles? U.S. troops during Operation Lam Son 719, February 1971. This photo was on the last roll of film received from Associated Press...
They’ve been around for a long time and flourish in a crisis. Conspiracy theories may seem absurd and harmless to some — but they can do damage. Activists demonstrate against 4G/5G cell towers in Los Angeles, California, 2 May 2020. (AP Photo/Damian...
Like fake news, conspiracy theories abound in today’s polarized political world. Sarah Edmonds shows that they have been around for a long time and thrive in times of crisis such as the coronavirus pandemic. In an age when facts and science are under attack, how can a student know what to believe in? Should we simply dismiss those who perpetrate conspiracy theories — or engage with them? Edmonds interviewed numerous experts for her article and skilfully weaved in their quotes — a good example for student writers. Teachers of subjects from Science to Politics can use Edmonds’s story to encourage students to suspend their prejudices and push themselves to see contrasting viewpoints.
Propaganda, advertising, political spin, storytelling — fake news can take many shapes. It got its start a long time ago, and there’s no quick fix. The U.S. Declaration of Independence (Wikipedia) This article is adapted from keynote remarks that were to...
Dorothy’s adventures in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ offer more than fantasy for children. Like the wizard behind his curtain, politicians world-wide deal in deceit. A film poster for the 1955 re-release of The Wizard of Oz (1939) (Wikimedia Commons) Can a...
U.S. presidents have often twisted the truth. But Donald Trump has flooded the media with falsehoods in a unique challenge to democratic institutions. U.S. President Donald Trump outside the White House in Washington, 24 May 2019 (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Donald Trump,...
The world has changed dramatically since I was a cub reporter. But facts and truth should still matter in the world of journalism. The Associated Press newsroom in New York, September 1982 (AP Photo/Corporate Archives/G. Paul Burnett) The coronavirus lockdown...
Ethnic Albanians fleeing fighting presented a dilemma. It was distressing to hear their cries for help. But as a journalist, I was there to bear witness. Ethnic Albanian refugees arrive from Kosovo into Macedonia near Skopje, 29 March 1999 (EPA PHOTO/LOUISA...
