Is social media shaping world politics and is populist agenda now more important than democrasy?

richp007

With no disrespect to yourself, me and you would be set to disagree for an eternity over this, so I'm not going to engage any further on it.

I apologise for posting what I did anyway, it was spur of the moment, and in anger. And Hillsborough isn't really relatable to this thread anyway. I'll delete my previous post.

Bl4ckGryph0n

That is actually an very interesting example for the OP on how some see it as a one way street and actually not an open discussion. Very interesting.

Doug the D

This is the only social media I use at the moment. I've dipped in and out of Faceache a couple of times over the years, but the reason I prefer the forum type of social media is possibly down to the moderation of it and the community spirit of it.

The way that Donald Trump has used social media is, I suppose very clever. The term 'fake news' is now heard on almost every news bulletin on the radio. There's no such thing! 'News' is reported in a real-time, near instant way in the modern world.

Sometimes, the proven facts that form what happened in an article/ story are not discovered by, or disclosed to the writers/ reporters until after the news has been printed. Donald Trump has used his 'fake news' drum quite a lot recently in a bid to make people forget what is happening around him - look at the alleged Russian intereference in the election campaign - is that being investigated? Or is it 'fake news', so therefore a nonsense that will be brushed under the carpet?
I for one wonder if this guy is supposed to be a genius (by his own admission or proven? Fake news?), then why, oh why does he post things on twitter in the style of a 14 year old boy that's just discovered Cider? His ramblings make me laugh, but also feel sorry for the country that voted him in...

Anyway, sorry, got sidetracked there - is social media shaping world politics? Absolutely. 100%. As for the second part of the OP's question - I don't fully understand what the 'populist agenda' actually is tbh, so can't comment on whether it's more important than democracy.

DPinBucks

There most certainly is.

Don't confuse 'fake news' with 'unsubstantiated allegation'.

The difference can be subtle, but essentially it boils down to whether the claimant actually believes what he's saying.  Many a report in the newspapers or statement by politicians turns out to be false or incomplete, but that doesn't mean it's fake; it's more likely an honest mistake, a shading of the truth, or gross incompetence.

Fake news, on the other hand, is published as a deliberate untruth masquerading as truth.  It can be very persuasive and is more or less restricted to online postings, which unfortunately is where it's most likely to find the gullible.

richp007

Not a good example at all I'm afraid. I see very little as a one way street, and normally engage in open discussion over anything.

Sometimes with the exception of Hillsborough that is. It's something close to my heart and something I know a great deal about. Sadly it's also something that has disgusted me for nearly 30 years, and is a stain on this countries judicial system. As well as certain establishments; one of the likes of which today has seen fit to protect one of it's own, and deny many families the justice they deserve.

However it isn't really relevant to this thread, which is why I apologised and deleted my original post. I only came back to see what you had quoted my second post about.

I will just close by saying Hillsborough is a curious case, whereby it is obviously from a time before social media existed. However the advent of social media has helped to educate a lot of people on the families plight, and what has occurred over the years. Today there is a fair amount of vitriol aimed at Bettison, but I myself have respected the request not to engage in this. Due to it's possible effect on the five other cases yet to be heard. It doesn't mean though I'm not angry and upset.

nheather

This is the sort of thing that can happen

Female actresses get outraged, forming #MeToo and demanding heads role and compensation.

Asia Argento denies sexual assault claims

And now a child actor has said "hey I can play that game, I can be outraged too,  Asia Argento, one of the leaders of #MeToo sexually assaulted me".

Cheers,

Nigel

mij

I was reading this article earlier which mentions plenty of fake news stories from years gone by, nothing new unfortunately: ‘Be careful about what you believe’ – Ken Livingstone on US, UK media bias & lies

Doug the D

Thanks for the clarity

I'm still going to take it with a pinch of salt when I hear Trump bleating the words 'fake news' to describe anything that's published about him. I don't know the guy personally, but he doesn't exactly strike me as a bastion of truth...

DPinBucks

Amen to that ...  

Tempest

Don't all companies and Government constantly and actively produce Fake News to tell to the general public as telling the truth about most topics would be unacceptable in today's world?

Simple example: "no expense has been spared to ensure the safety of people travelling on our, whatever....."
Of course that's not true. Human lives are priced into the product.
Companies need to make a nice fat profit, so will only do so much towards safety.

No seat belts on a bus?
If i recall it's because the mounting of the seat into the floor could not take the strain in a crash, and would rip out of the floor.
Well, make the floor a lot stronger etc.
Bus then a lot heavier, uses a lot more fuel =  less profit.