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UK considers forcing social media firms to prioritise trusted news (www.reuters.com)
submitted 4 months ago by to c/unitedkingdom@feddit.uk
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[–] 7 points 4 months ago* (2 children)

We do produce the news ourselves: the BBC is, in reality, state media. BBC news is, in reality, state news.

I'm kinda agnostic on this one. Keeping the influence of Musk/Murdoch/et al out of our media is a good thing. Keeping incendiary propaganda produced by foreign powers out, is also a good thing. Regulating media to a minimum standard (for example: Reporting must be factual in both detail, and spirit) then removing/punishing media that doesn't conform is a good thing.

But, it will be managed by people and they're shit, they're biased, and their judgement is garbage... Worse it will be managed by Ofcom, and they're even worse: see GB News.

So on balance: fuck 'em. Once they prove they're proficient at managing the media they already do, I might trust them to manage more.

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  • [–] 11 points 4 months ago (1 child)

    1. Elect a Tory/Reform government.

    2. Tory/Reform government declares Musk/Murdoch trusted news and independent local journalists non-trusted.

    3. ???

    4. A good thing.

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  • [–] 3 points 4 months ago*

    Exactly, as I said: people are shit, they're biased and their judgement is garbage.

    We could spin it off to an independent committee, but Tories could just fill the upper ranks with Tories (see BBC, supposedly independent but in reality far from it).

    We could write standards that are unbiased, example: reporting must be factually accurate in detail and spirit. But the standards will be selectively applied, see Ofcom/GB News.

    As I said, I'm agnostic. Standards should be set and enforced, it's just a shame it would be a reflection of those in power, so fuck em.

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