When it comes to generative artificial intelligence, I am a sceptic. Is it just another Big Tech tool for collecting our personal data? Will it just magnify misinformation in a volatile political climate? Will it perpetuate racist, sexist and cultural stereotypes? Will it seem “smarter” only...
In 2001, Jack G. Shaheen published Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People. In an analysis of over 900 films with Arab and Muslim characters from 1896 to 2000, he showed how moviemakers represented Arabs as heartless, uncivilized, religious fanatics akin to the worst...
In one part of the world, in Nairobi, Kenya, street vendors are doing booming business with “art” generated by artificial intelligence whose pricing matches or is even higher than real art. What constitutes “art” may be in the eyes of the beholder, but it seems no...
How to regulate social media platforms effectively has become the quest of liberal and illiberal governments alike. The one to eradicate hate speech, and the other to control rebellious populations. The UN defines hate speech as “any kind of communication in speech, writing or behaviour, that...
Media Development 2024-3 Communication in Conflict Situations Exploring the notion that constructive journalism can engender greater understanding by those on the outside of the situation, as well as greater trust by those on the inside. With the aim of reducing tensions, paving the way for dialogue, seeking...
Peter Prove The first casualty of war is truth. This familiar adage has been attributed to many authors, from Chinese military strategist and philosopher Sun Tzu (c.544BC – c.496) and ancient Greek tragedian Aeschylus (c.525 BC – c.456 BC) to US Senator Hiram Warren Johnson in...
Deutsche Welle Rousbeh Legatis is a peace and conflict researcher, former UN correspondent and international consultant on the role of journalists as actors in conflict transformation processes. In a 2019 interview with #mediadev, he discussed how the media can participate in peacebuilding. What role does the media...
United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) The media shape how the public perceives the risks posed by hazards; these perceptions in turn influence the set of strategies for the mitigation of future vulnerabilities in the form of taxes, opportunity costs, lifestyle changes, and more. 1....
Helen McElhinney Recently, the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development hosted a conference on the risks and opportunities of AI on humanitarian action. I kicked off my presentation on disinformation by asking the senior policy makers gathered a few questions about basic social media literacy: Can you...
Suman Basnet Nepal suffered a decade-long civil war fought between the Maoist guerillas and government forces from early 1996 till the end of 2006; it ended with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord on 21 November 2006. The conflict caused the death of approximately 17,000,...