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Monday, April 1, 2019
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. A simple saying to remind children that words can’t hurt. But what happens when the children grow into adults and words can do more than hurt? In the real world words can shape perceptions and alter realities. Words become devices used... More
The indictment last February of 13 Russians for interfering in the 2016 US Election prompted further reports discussing how ‘fake news’ is being weaponized to manipulate political processes by taking advantage of the lack of governance within social media. The CBC (Brown, 2018) published an article in March about a young journalist, Vitaly... More
I am concerned with the alarming rate with which social media is changing conventional news and journalism. Today, there is widespread application of digital technology that allows for the creation and dissemination of information across the Internet. Currently, highly accessible publishing techniques on social media platforms such as Facebook,... More
Tuesday, February 5, 2019
by Scott Michell Is the dark web a haven of criminal activity? Mainstream news media headlines gesture towards the actions of dangerous groups and threats to those who unwittingly find themselves in a risky online space. Headlines about the “dark web drug trade” abound (Southwick, 2017) while other articles caution parents to keep... More
by Kathy Dobson Credit: Arisirawan's Blog After Viktoria Marinova, a journalist with a television station in Bulgaria, was appointed host of a new current affairs show, she vowed that the show would focus on corruption and her increasing concern about the lack of journalistic freedom in her city. The first episode, which... More
by Ghadah Alrasheed & Brandon Rigato One area that has not received adequate attention in the vast academic literature surrounding extremist movements and their use of the Internet is the Dark Web, whose websites are vaguely assumed to work as hubs for terrorists, drug-traffickers, and gangs. The structure, mechanisms, and impact of dark... More
By Nasreen Rajani The Tor browser – often mistaken as being the “dark net” itself and seen as being synonymous with illegal or nefarious activities – has become a useful platform for activists who require privacy and anonymity, and one has been attracting increasing attention from activists and citizens alike in recent... More
Friday, February 1, 2019
by: Mohammed Eldali Am I a thief or in some way morally wrong for pirating a song or movie? Or is the company that is attempting to charge me 2$ for each song or 30$ for a movie the real thief? I have torrented almost everything—movies, music, video games. You put a name on... More
by: Rahib Ahmad Copyright crusaders and the media industry are fighting a battle that simply cannot be won. It has been proving more difficult for content creators to enforce their copyrights in an age marked by digital openness and the overwhelming presence of online piracy. We’ve all see these websites and done the dirty... More
by: Omer Jamshaid When we see other people who are less fortunate, whether it is their lack of access to food, education, or safety, naturally we are heartbroken and desire to help. This leads some to join activist groups, raise money, and speak up on social media to raise awareness. But have we ever... More
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
Dear friends and colleagues of ALiGN, On behalf of the Alternative Global Network (ALiGN) Media Lab at Carleton University, I would like to wish you an exciting year of 2019 with hopes for a wonderful new beginning and a memorable past. As we begin the new year, let me recite my not-so-little wishes for all of us. May you find... More
Saturday, December 1, 2018
by Philippe Des Rivières Have you ever been scrolling through Instagram and all of a sudden received a notification from a friend linking you to a post they thought would interest you, but upon clicking on that link you are confronted with the dreaded “Sorry, this content is unavailable” message? Quite annoying, right? Now imagine... More
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