Weekly Roundup 6/22/18
This week, the Reuters Institute and the University of Oxford released the annual Digital News Report, a survey of 37 countries and 74,000 participants. The report finds that respondents are increasingly using WhatsApp to consume news. Particularly in Malaysia, Brazil, and Turkey, individuals find that WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption creates a safer space to seek out information on contentious topics.
At the same time, WhatsApp has also facilitated the spread of false rumors about the Catalan independence referendum, yellow fever in Brazil, kidnappings in India, and more. While the platform’s design maximizes security, it makes combating false news particularly challenging. Aware of the potential for harm, WhatsApp and Facebook launched a digital literacy program in advance of Kenya’s 2017 elections. Moreover, journalism organizations like Chequado in Argentina and La Silla Vacía in Colombia launched services that aim to fact-check viral messages.
WhatsApp highlights the need to create space for civil society organizations, technology platforms, and journalists to collaborate and communicate. (Psst- check out the upcoming Design 4 Democracy Coalition for more!)
Open Internet
- Iran’s move to block Telegram has wide-ranging consequences
- Algeria’s telecom provider shuts down internet during high school exams
Open data
- Report finds that open data can improve governance
- Australia releases data plan for infrastructure development
- Ontario considers sharing resident medical data for healthcare
Civic tech
- How Scotland incorporates startups into procurement model
- Zimbabwe reduces data charges ahead of upcoming elections
- India plans to expand Wi-Fi hotspots in rural areas
Blockchain