What's fit to share isn't always what's fit to print

Why I'm thankful for the Internet, and concerned about the new world

The three most intriguing and rapidly-shared media events of the past couple weeks, excluding the Ferguson story, have been a sensationalized article about someone’s passing, conversational suggestions to dig up dirt on journalists, social media’s indictment of America’s-wholesome-Dad-turned-accused-rapist, and a satirical story about Sarah Palin wanting to send immigrants across the ocean to Mexico. (Honorable mentions go to a certain derriere and an awesome catch.)

The fact that these stories actually received the attention they did underscores how translucent the world has become, thanks to the Internet. 

This Thanksgiving, I want to share why I’m thankful for the Internet, while at the same time chilled about this brave new world. 

Like the pilgrims who created the Thanksgiving tradition in the 1600’s, and faced opportunity and challenges, there are two dimensions emerging on the Internet: one is a collective sharing of experiences, and the other is a collective sharing of hasty and insufficiently-formed verdicts.

Let’s start with why I’m thankful.

Over the last 20 years, the Internet has drawn families closer by enabling them to share stories about how they are, who they are, what they’re doing and where they are. It has moved us increasingly to become more of a transparent society and therefore a more accountable one. It has given us all a voice, and a sense of freedom and safety in knowing bad guys will be outed, and that sooner or later, the truth will come out. It has even allowed us to share our deepest, darkest secrets and find solace in hearing from others who feel the same. 

At the same time, it is still a new frontier, a Wild West that has yet to establish any standards of truth, verification, due process and handling of hearsay.

When I first became a journalist, I had several editors and I had to corroborate my stories with at least two people representing different views. There was always a “To be sure” line that would ensure the story struck a balance. There was always the discipline and civility to give the accused an opportunity to reply or comment.

Today, there seems to be little time for that kind of courtesy. Today, all articles are a blend of reporting and opinion. Today, it almost doesn’t matter because it seems there is little time for the public to even care. A Tweet is sufficient to start spreading disparaging words about someone.

To wit: The Daily Currant’s satirical story about Sarah Palin suggesting to send immigrants back to Mexico stirred up a Twitter mob that relished at the opportunity to poke fun at Palin. The fake story became true to many in an instant.

Palin gets the brand damage. The Internet gets a good laugh. No one cared to really dig in. Oops. Sorry, Palin. Oh well. Move on. 

Now social media has resurfaced allegations of rape against Bill Cosby from two decades ago, which cost him a chance to star in a new NBC program. It was as though Cosby was convicted before a trial. In the Internet world, he’s guilty and the onus is on him to be proven innocent vs the other way around. The New York Post aggregated a host of photos that were under the #cosbymeme, which, The Post wrote “quickly devolved into a conversation about rape and rape culture, never quite achieving the cute, wholesome captions Cosby’s marketers were likely expecting with the tip-of-the hat photo.”

At this point, is there a court in America where Bill Cosby could get a fair trial?

On the press written about Uber executive Emil Michael, my view is that when an editor characterizes comments made at an off-the-record dinner with words such as “Uber’s dirt diggers”, it’s a sensationalized account and a cheap shot to take. Ben Smith penned the post about Michael’s interest in spending one million dollars to help, in Smith’s words, “Uber fight back against the press” and “give the media a taste of its own medicine.”

Michael did come out and apologize about his statements, but it doesn’t mean they were portrayed in the right light. At least from one person who was at the dinner, Nicole Campbell, his comments were taken to an unfair extreme.

And when a journalist writes a story accusing someone of misogynistic policies and sexism, at the very least, the evidence should be less than flimsy. What started this kerfuffle, and provoked Michael’s contempt for journalists, was writer Sarah Lacy’s article, which accused Uber CEO Travis Kalanick of being a misogynist. 

It started off well intentioned, putting a spotlight on Uber’s distasteful French “avion” marketing promotion that portrayed women like Victoria Secret models at best, prostitutes at worst. But to refer to an incident about a woman being kidnapped by an Uber driver who was not operating on the platform at the time as a signal of a misogynistic and sexist culture devolved the commentary from a piece of journalism, into a personal rant.

To be clear, I am not defending Sarah Palin, Bill Cosby, Emil Michael and Travis Kalanick. As the saying goes: Fiction is often closer to the truth than the lies around us.

The fact that the fake story of Palin was misconstrued as true says something about Palin. Cosby’s silence, beyond saying, “a guy doesn’t have to answer to innuendos” says something about him. And the fact there was outrage against Uber in the first place says something about Uber. Venture capitalist Fred Wilson of Union Square Ventures puts it this way: "Uber makes it so damn easy."

Still, we should strive to know what is fact; what is fiction; what is hyperbole; what is hearsay.

The Internet’s dark side became pretty apparent in the last couple weeks. It’s numbed us to what is right; what is just and what is fit to print. Hyperbole has reached a fever pitch. Hearsay is now evidence that something is true. The gloves are off. 

When anyone with a computer can say what they want, without constraint, they will say what they will.  

I am thankful for the Internet, and our ability to share, our ability to debate, our ability to all have a voice. What scares me, however, is how my sons will perceive truth and justice in an era that has heightened and cultivated humanity’s inclination to judge first, and ask questions second.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Speaking of which, nothing goes with Thanksgiving like football. Did you see the catch? 

(image source: contestpatti.com)