Apple is Now a Proper Guardian of Valuable News and Our Privacy
The Particle Debris article of the week, from the New York Times, discuses fake news and how to stop it.
The subtitle reads: “Google and Facebook should be allies of quality journalism, not its gravest threat.”
Of couse, it’s just a pipedream. When great wealth is at stake, all other values pale in comparison.
There was a time when news bandwidth was limited. Only the best journalists survived in local newspaper and TV news, and people paid for the only games in town to receive valuable news. But now that anyone can stir up a fuss with a free public voice, there’s big money to be made by treating the best and the worst on an equal basis.
NYT author David Chavern writes:
They [Google, Facebook] could start to address the problem by simply recognizing that The Miami Herald is a much better news source than Russian bots or Macedonian teenagers — and highlighting original, quality content accordingly.
But so long as readers and viewers fail to exert skepticism and judgment, the very worst news presentations will continue to earn big money. Apple is trying to address the problem with seasoned journalists and its curated News app—which you should support.
I think it has to do with the inability of many internet users to extrapolate from a current activity to a future threat. Call it internet savvy. That’s why, by the way, so many Facebook users are happy to spill their most personal information for the psychological benefits of Big Tech. Or a US$20 gift certificate. Facebook continues to thrive, immune from the lens of good judgment. See:
- “Facebook Paid People $20 a Month for Access to All Their Digital Activity. Why Did They Sign Up?“
- Apple Stands Up for Privacy. Does It Matter?
As we know from the flood of news this week about the stand Apple took against Facebook, Apple is also working to preserve our privacy.
Somewhere, somehow, young people need to learn about proper places to get their news and savvy, safe ways to conduct business on the internet. And pass on the rest. Genuine freedom is at stake.
Apple is taking the first steps to make us aware of these problems, but education also has to play a big role. Who’s doing that? Here’s one. If you are, I want to hear from you.
More Debris
• Speaking of the lack of internet savvy, we have this. “U.S. teen arrested after telling Siri he planned a school shooting.” At first, I thought perhaps Siri reported him. But no. The 13-year-old posted a screenshot. ::sigh::
How would we feel if Siri had reported him?
• At Medium , Lance Ulanoff looks at the history and evolution of Apple’s AirPods. “AirPods Are Now One of Apple’s Most Important Products.” This is a good read.
• It’s time for mobile, mechanical keyboards as we know them in the MacBook/Air/Pro family to finally come to an end. But nothing as drastic as the virtual keyboards on iPad displays. No, we need something a whole lot smarter and robust. Here’s the story on an Apple patent. “MacBook keyboard failures could end with introduction of glass panel keyboards.”
• Finally, Apple retail stores are revered for their architecture. Here’s a great visual tour of the best. “The 15 coolest Apple stores in the world, from New York’s Grand Central Station to London’s Regent Street.”
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Particle Debris is a generally a mix of John Martellaro’s observations and opinions about a standout event or article of the week followed by a discussion of articles that didn’t make the TMO headlines, the technical news debris. The column is published most every Friday except for holiday weeks.
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