That’s why uncensored social media like Mastodon, Lemmy and the wider Fediverse is so valuable, as we can get direct reports from the people around, without being filtered or censored by anyone.
I’d say the whole free software culture is about breaking free from the confines of large companies and whoever owns the communication platforms. They usually aren’t motivated by freedom and what their “users” want/need. Free software has been around since the 80s? The Fediverse is available for us, too. I’d say people who like freedom have some opportunities to enjoy it.
It doesn’t really replace proper journalism, though. For example all of the local news about my city and area sadly aren’t shared on any free platform. But it works alright for some other topics like IT news.
“It doesn’t really replace proper journalism though”
Yeah, that’s an even bigger problem that doesn’t really have much of a solution. Things like Fediverse might allow for the distribution of news outside the control of corporations but it doesn’t help in actually getting access to unbiased journalism.
I’m glad the Fediverse doesn’t have any “algorithm”. But still, it’s a filter bubble. And very biased. And it has the same issues as every other place on the internet. People like to spread emotional stuff, like to complain and mainly post negative stuff, because they’re more motivated to write something when they’re agitated. And less so in other cases… I don’t think there is a solution to this.
My current way is to (occasionally) put away my phone and talk to my neighbors and friends. See what they’re up to. But in turn that doesn’t inform me about world politics (or tech news) 😉 And to read some random forums and blogs where people write longer, and well reasoned articles. Yeah and I also consume social media (Lemmy) and regular media. And lots of Youtube. I still feel like I’m super biased. But I’m stopping myself from reading too much news anyways. I don’t think it’s been healthy for me.
Individual instances are, but the beauty is that you can still find one that isn’t, and interact with most other instances.
I really wish someone would develop multi-instance front-end where you could seamlessly view posts across multiple instances, even if they de-federated from each-other, without needing to switch between accounts.
Else, the account switching does create a bit of a barrier.
I hope world (where I am) doesn’t federated from ml. Because while there are some tankies on ml, I’d rather be exposed to all of it if I wish to be, without needing to jump between accounts to view multiple feeds.
Just my two cents, and obvious begging, since I can’t make these wonderful free apps and websites we’ve been blessed with. The option of switching is wonderful, which is why I am here.
All fediverse needs now is a solid, fully end-to-end encrypted, Facebook replacement (retro Facebook, where you just got posts from your friends, in order).
Propublica is a great nonprofit investigative journalism site that could use your support! They often partner with local news agencies to help give them interesting content and further the impact.
Their stories hold powerful entities accountable for pollution and corruption and have a really good track record of initiating legal or regulatory consequences.
Also there’s never a paywall
There should be a post about all the non-profit, grassroots, funded exclusively by the people journalist sites and media that people know of.
We need to share and learn about all the media we should be supporting and getting our news from. It’s one of the foundations for an actual democracy and a better society.
I also like AllSides, which I believe is part news agragator and part unbiased reporting.
It give you unbiased headlines, then links to the L/C/R articles that they come from:
And also articles like “Why CBS and Fox Selectively Editing Interviews Is Bad for Voters” that cut out the bias.
When CNN was bought a couple years ago one of the biggest investors in WB (obviously a right wing billionaire) flat out said the goal was to make CNN more like Faux News…
And people are still shocked CNN acts like Faux News now.
The mainstream media will always want to drag both parties as far to the right as possible, because you don’t become rich enough to own mainstream media if you value literally anything over money.
Edit:
We’re fifty fifth out of 180
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Press_Freedom_Index
Well behind every other first world country
We have state funded news where I live and I feel like it’s keeping the other commercial news channels in check in term of tone. It’s obviously not without biases but it’s a lot better than the situation in the US in my opinion.
That said the current coalition wants to cut funding to it because of the unfavourable coverage.
Are you Canadian? Because defund the CBC ( gov funded - not operated) has been increasing in volume by the bros here over the past few years.
I agree. I think people might have the idea that the states dictates the contents, but that’s not at all how it works in well functioning democracies. It’s there to serve the public interest: to have a relatively unbiased news outlet that’s accessible to all and without (or with little) commercial interests. It coexists with commercial news outlets.
I still love the BBC. It’s not without bias, but still keeps largely to a culture of don’t directly lie, in an English way, so I feel I can read between the lines when they try to push a viewpoint their facts don’t support.
Bit by bit the ruin of their app is pushing me away, though.
And the same people that own the media also own and operate the state.
I’m so glad this stuff is starting to finally bubble to the top of the public consciousness.
Now, everybody read Marx.
And the same people that own the media also own and operate the state.
Hey now. They don’t own and operate the state. They simply receive large low-interest loans to trade parcels of real estate that happen to account for the overwhelming bulk of developed property in the country. It’s you, the people, who are afforded the opportunity to meet and choose between the California Criminal Prosecutor and the New York Land Baron.
Just look out! One of them is a soulless fascist who will invoke the powers of the state to terrorize migrants, minorities, and labor activists. Meanwhile, the other is a goofy dimwit who will be too hobbled by bureaucracy to effectively delivery any of their campaign promises.
Find out which one during our Full Team Electoral Spectacle News Coverage! And remember, if the wrong person wins, you know know exactly who to blame. <JillStein.jpg>
Now, everybody read Marx.
Nice try. But I have it on good authority that learning to read makes you a Communist, so I dodged that bullet early on.