Democracy Dies Behind Paywalls

The case for making journalism free—at least during the 2024 election

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/04/paywall-problems-media-trust-democracy/678032/

I learned of this article on Techdirt. I keep JavaScript off by default, so I have no trouble reading this. See if you do.

It almost feels like a publicity stunt. They put an article called "Democracy Dies Behind Paywalls" behind a paywall. It's like performance art. I think it's very funny.

Here's a bit of the Atlantic article.

Paywalls create a two-tiered system: credible, fact-based information for people who are willing to pay for it, and murkier, less-reliable information for everyone else. Simply put, paywalls get in the way of informing the public, which is the mission of journalism. And they get in the way of the public being informed, which is the foundation of democracy. It is a terrible time for the press to be failing at reaching people, during an election in which democracy is on the line. There’s a simple, temporary solution: Publications should suspend their paywalls for all 2024 election coverage and all information that is beneficial to voters. Democracy does not die in darkness—it dies behind paywalls.

See also "The Truth Is Paywalled But The Lies Are Free" at https://www.currentaffairs.org/2020/08/the-truth-is-paywalled-but-the-lies-are-free/

#the-atlantic #paywalls #democracy #free-journalism #election #funny #media #news #journalism