Topic
What threat does disinformation pose to freedom of speech today?
Background
Misinformation is false information created and disseminated to deceive and harm the interests of people, institutions, or countries. Combating such information may imply restrictions on the dissemination of data. Such measures can prevent the free discussion of ideas and opinions and restrict people’s right to freedom of speech. However, this inalienable right allows people to express views without restriction or punishment, supports democracy, and, therefore, is essential.
Finding Sources
Bazelon, Emily. “The First Amendment in the Age of Disinformation.” The New York Times Magazine, Web.
Bontcheva, Kalina, et al. Balancing act: Countering digital disinformation while respecting freedom of expression. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 2020.
Crocker, Bradley. “In Order to Be Saved from Misinformation, We Need to Be Exposed to It.” The Conversation, Web.
“Freedom of Speech, What It Is and What It Isn’t.” Law for Seniors, Web.
Mathiesen, Kay. “Fake News and the Limits of Freedom of Speech.” Media Ethics, Free Speech and the Requirements of Democracy, edited by Carl Fox and Joe Saunders, Routledge, 2019, pp. 161-180.
Nielsen, Rasmus Kleis. “How to Respond to Disinformation While Protecting Free Speech.” Reuters Institute, Web.
Evaluating the Source
I analyzed Bazelon’s article presented in The New York Times Magazine. It addresses the research topic significantly and can be valuable for studying the question posed. This article is published in a nationally known journal, which is a vital sign of its reliability. Moreover, the page contains a byline – the author’s name and briefly describes her professional background, indicating that the source can be trusted. The journalist used research articles when writing her text and gave them credit in the form of links on the page. Thus, this article has all the necessary signs for recognizing that it is substantive.
The author critically presents the current situation with misinformation and its threats and some historical perspectives on the problem. She also describes such an essential aspect as the role of social networks in disseminating information and freedom of speech. Bazelon strives to be objective, and the article even underwent changes to reflect some events correctly, without distortion. However, journalists express their opinion, and the author has some signs of bias; for example, criticism of President Trump is noticeable. Nevertheless, the author focuses more on providing data and facts on the current situation regarding misinformation and freedom of speech. Since the article has signs of reliability and bias is not influential, the report is helpful for the research.
Works Cited
Bazelon, Emily. “The First Amendment in the Age of Disinformation.” The New York Times Magazine, Web.
Bontcheva, Kalina, et al. Balancing act: Countering digital disinformation while respecting freedom of expression. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 2020.
Crocker, Bradley. “In Order to Be Saved from Misinformation, We Need to Be Exposed to It.” The Conversation, Web.
“Freedom of Speech, What It Is and What It Isn’t.” Law for Seniors, Web.
Mathiesen, Kay. “Fake news and the limits of freedom of speech.” Media Ethics, Free Speech and the Requirements of Democracy, edited by Carl Fox and Joe Saunders, Routledge, 2019, pp. 161-180.
Nielsen, Rasmus Kleis. “How to Respond to Disinformation While Protecting Free Speech.” Reuters Institute, Web.