Join Us Now and Share the News - Part IV: There Cannot be Free Software Without Free Press and Free Information
Previously: Join Us Now and Share the News - Part III: Principled Stance Is Never Cheap
Years ago there was an extensive campaign of defamation against the founder of GNU/Linux. It began weeks after he had been invited to speak at Microsoft and Microsoft's co-founder was implicated in a pedophilia scandal in relation to MIT.
We've written a great deal of stuff about it (and made videos along the way) because, as we put it 5 days ago: "If we mention Dr. Stallman quite a lot and defend people who think like him (regarding technology), it is about maintaining or securing the spectrum of 'permissible' views/stances in technology. The notion that users should avoid "the cloud" and take control of the programs they use oughtn't be "outlandish"."
We recently got told by a loyal reader of the site that this Web site - or capsule - was very helpful and sorely needed due to a lack of proper, internationalist reporting on these matters. Investigating and critically analysing claims is something we're good at, mostly owing to our sources, who include whistleblowers with inside(r) knowledge.
Free software is under attack because it ideologically competes with an insipid status quo that gravitates towards neo-feudalism. Free software does not pay the media for puff pieces and/or paid placements (like fake rankings, bogus endorsements and so on). This means it relies on pro bono actors, advocates who value truth over money.
One day, one can hope, more people will recognise that for Software Freedom we need free press and free thinkers.
Jason Self (of Linux-libre) has just published "Information Overload or Informed Citizens?"
He has published many other lengthy and very good articles lately. To quote from the above:
So, has technology made the average person better informed about current events, or just louder about their opinions? The evidence points to a sobering conclusion: having more information available hasn't automatically increased understanding. In many cases, it has amplified the spread of opinions and misinformation more than that of knowledge. This doesn't mean all hope is lost or that technology must be a net negative. There are more high-quality information sources available now than ever - from educational websites to expert podcasts and digital libraries. A determined individual can learn about any issue in depth with a few clicks and some critical thinking. For some people, technology has truly been empowering in that way.However, for the average person navigating the modern media maelstrom, it's easy to get lost. Our digital environment often emphasizes being first or flashy over being accurate. It pushes us to react instead of reflect. And it surrounds us with so much noise that finding the signal - the verified facts and meaningful context - is a serious challenge. As readers of news, we have to actively resist the pull of passive scrolling and instant opinion-sharing. We need stronger media literacy skills so people can detect bias, verify information, and distinguish opinion from fact. Those that run social networks with algorithms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and YouTube also bear responsibility. They've built sophisticated information distribution systems; those systems could be tweaked to prioritize truth and context over sensationalism.
In the meantime, each of us can take small steps: read beyond the headlines, seek out reporting from reputable sources, and sometimes slow down the news binge to process what we've seen. The goal is to turn that abundant information into genuine knowledge. Technology has opened the floodgates of information; now we must learn to swim in it. If we succeed, we can fulfill the optimistic vision of a more informed society. If we fail, we risk drowning in a sea of opinions, uncertain about what's really true. The choice between knowledge and noise is ultimately ours to make.
Our Daily Links take an enormous amount of time to prepare, but we hope they help people cull the noise and focus on the real (as in, important) news.
We continues to prioritise Daily Links, alongside investigative reports that are exclusive and can change this world for the better. █