Social media, press, journalism, information, communication policy, expression
The press was referred to as the "4th Estates" for the 1st time by Edmund Burke (1729 - 1797), a British politician who declared that : "There are three Estates in Parliament, but in the Reporter's Gallery yonder, there sat a Fourth Estate more important far than they all"
Burke calls the press the 4th estate or the 4th power because it ensures that politics do not abuse their power. Indeed, journalists do not run an administration or have to win votes; they are outsiders who can provide information to citizens. That is why they can act as a "regulatory" power. As the 1st Amendment to the US Constitution exposes, the role of the press is twofold; to inform citizens and to expose opinions to foster debates around political matters, thus acting as the people's watchdog.
[...] However, when looking for information on social media users are more likely to consult non-professional news accounts, which can share unverified news Yet, in democratic countries social and collaborative media can only be considered, to some extent, as part of the renewal of the press. While social media can serve the informative function of the press, they often lead to a degradation of the information's quality. Indeed, a 2012 study examining the news consumption on Facebook and Twitter of 1600 Canadians, revealed that they were twice as likely to prefer to read news links and articles not from newspaper websites when they were sent by friends and family Rather than news link recommendations from journalists or news organizations on both Facebook and on Twitter. [...]
[...] Can social media fulfill the functions of the 4th estate, and thus be considered as a part of the renewal of the press? Introduction The press was referred as the "4th Estates" the 1st time by Edmund Burke (1729 - 1797) a British politician who declared that: "there are three Estates in Parliament, but in the Reporters Gallery yonder, there sat a fourth Estate more important far than they all" Burke calls the press the 4th estates or the 4th power because it ensures that politics don't abuse their power. [...]
[...] Journalists are exposed to more pressure from governments, according to the World Press Freedom Index, which measures the level of freedom available to journalists in 180 countries. This indicator is based on the evaluation of the independence of the media and the safety of the journalists among other criteria. In non-democratic countries, or when the press is controlled by the ruling power, social media are an alternative way for citizens to be informed. Indeed, those entities are harder to control or to shut down than a traditional newspaper. [...]
[...] Therefore, the information shared may not be based on accurate facts and can be tainted by partisan views. Information verified by trained journalists can be found on social media, however this study shows that less than 50% of users prefer websites owned by newspapers. To conclude, accurate information can be found on social media nevertheless, the massive and continuous flow of information exerts pressure on traditional journalism which drifts towards sensationalism, to compete for the attention of the audience. Transition: The press can only exert its informative and regulatory function in democratic countries where the media are independent. [...]
[...] In non-democratic countries where the press is controlled by the people in power, social and collaborative media are a way to gather information for citizens and foster the sense of community among them. Collaborative media can, to some extent, act as a 4th estate and thus be considered as a renewal of the 4th power. Sources: Thomas Carlyle (Jan 2013), "Heros and Hero Worship in History" Another leaf Press Jonas Löwgren and Bo Reimer 2013, "Collaborative Media. Production, Consumption, and Design Interventions." Cambridge MA: The Mit Press Danah Boyd, Nicole B. [...]
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