vault backup: 2022-10-02 12:16:35

content/notes/ethics-essay.md

@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ As members of society we must consider the ethical implications of our actions a
 
 The recent outbreak of misinformation and censorship, culminating in Aotearoa with the convoy and the Wellington protest in February and March this year, provides an interesting avenue through which we can analyse the spread of information through online channels, and the impact of the computing profession. Many business in the computing sector were key components of the event. For example, Facebook, Gab and Telegram, as well as stuff.co.nz and other news outlets. These organisations have an inherent obligation to consider how their platforms are being used to encourage or discourage the spread of information, regardless of its source and credibility. 
 
-I myself do not have the knowledge or experience to make informed decision about what should be allowed on large platforms such as spotify, facebook, and youtube. However, I am able to give my opinion about how misinformation, censorship, and freedom of expression should be balanced. This essay will examine the point of view of the protesters at wellington and contrast it with Stuff's Fire and Fury in an IT context. 
+I do not have the knowledge or experience to make informed decision about what should be allowed on large platforms such as spotify, facebook, and youtube. However, I am able to give my opinion about how misinformation, censorship, and freedom of expression should be balanced. This essay will examine the point of view of the protesters at wellington and contrast it with Stuff's Fire and Fury in an attempt to learn more about how to balance censorship and freedom of expression in an online world. 
 
 # Point 1
 Throughout history we can observe countless instances of delayed acceptance of medical discoveries. Even the process of resuscitation through mouth to mouth breathing and chest compressions was initally rejected by the public and discouraged. Anti-Vaccination movements existed long before the Covid-19 pandemic. Ever since the first vaccinations REF people have felt uncomfortable. Shorty before Covid-19 struck, Anti Vaccination supporters have protested against the MMR and Measles vaccines. However, following the announcement of the Covid-19 vaccine, these groups gained more followers and start to spread their views, eventually led to the convoy and the wellington protests. They documented their journey in the video titled River of Filth. The video starts with news and articles where the NZ government stated that the vaccine would not be mandatory. Next, they depict the governments betrayl of this promise, forcing 40% of the NZ workforce to be vaccinated. They then showed footage of the convoy, various protests along the way, and the camp out at Wellington parliament CAPS?. The video then finishes with a message condemning the government and mainstream media, and praising the protesters and their efforts. After 23 days the protesters were forcefully and violently removed by a large police force, 87 protesters were arrested and 50 vehicles towed REF. The protesters were mostly protesting the NZ government Covid-19 response, including mask mandates, vaccine mandates and lockdowns. However, various anti-establishment and/or anti-mainstream media groups were also present, many of which were calling for trials and executions. 
@@ -57,7 +57,9 @@ This protest is part of a worldwide trend, an "epidemic of misinformation" REF.
 The role of the IT sector in the wellington protests is clearly a significant one. Without the platforms mentioned the protest would have likely never happened REF?. However, the eradication of these platforms is not a solution REF?. What we can do however, is try to balance and regulate the spread of misinformation on these platforms. But we must be carful in doing so, as people have a right to free speech. How can we balance censorship and freedom of expression on platform such as these? 
 
 # Point 2
-The documentay Fire and Fury created by a team of journalists from Stuff.co.nz, investigating the wellington protests, what caused them, and some of the key people behind the protests. It showed the progess of the movement leading up to the occupation. The documentary was w
+The documentay Fire and Fury created by a team of journalists from Stuff.co.nz, investigating the wellington protests, what caused them, and some of the key people behind the protests. It showed the progess of the movement leading up to the occupation. The documentary recieved mixed reviews. An in-house review by stuff praised it as "journalism at the peak of its powers" REF, while others have said it "veers into the absurd" REF. Of course each of these third parties, have biases of their own which must be taken into account. Everyone online is able to present themselves however they like, and masquerade as something they are not. It is incredibly difficult to separate the good from the bad. 
+
+The stuff article praising the documentary says the team behind it "interviewed the right people", "spoke to a vast audience", and "told us 'what lies behind the cloud'". 
 
 - qanon 
 - influence of social media