OpposingViews.com
Andrew Keen wrote an interesting short piece in the Independent’s media supplement recently on a new American website called OpposingViews.com - a digital debating chamber for proven experts in politics, economics, culture, science and faith.
Keen argues that “it offers convincing proof that Web 2.0’s cult of amateur content is rapidly going out of fashion and that the Internet’s new “new thing” is expertise”.
I’m not so sure. For me it simply highlights, once more, the imperative to critically evaluate sources and content, developing one’s own judgement in the process. This would certainly be the approach I would take when looking at OpposingViews.
A great TOK lesson in the making too, I think, when you consider it is the likes of Amnesty International who say “Yes” to the question: “Should the US abolish the death penalty?” and Joshua Marquis, a District Attorney in the US and media commentator, who says “No”.
One for you to ponder.
Russell Fine
12 September 2008 at 5:10 pm
Hello Lee, my name is Russell Fine and I’m the CEO of Opposing Views. Thanks for picking up on the Independent’s article and stopping by our site. I think your comment that “the imperative to critically evaluate sources and content…” is right on the money.
We created Opposing Views to be a place the sources with identifiable biases and track records can state their cases, and users can learn, discuss, challenge, and think them through. There are no direct “answers” on our site — it is intended to be food for critical thought. Keep an eye on us over the coming months and you will see a raft of features that fee inquisitive minds.
Thanks again and I hope to see your comments on our site.
Russell
Lee Davis
15 September 2008 at 8:13 am
I note this morning that Tim Berners-Lee has expressed similar concerns about the prevalence of inaccurate or misleading information on the web. Talking to the BBC, he states that he has for some time now been thinking about how best to rate certain web content/sites in relation to others, though admits he does not yet have a definitive answer. His best solution at present would be for different organisations labelling websites in different ways.
The full article can be found here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7613201.stm
SpeakMediaBlog
18 September 2008 at 3:07 pm
I reviewed Andrew Keen’s book and philosophy in video and blog form. Personally, I think he is incredibly short-sighted.
Video Form: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=XCFIfPlrAvE
Written Blog Form:
http://www.speakmediablog.com/2008/09/social-media-keep-up-or-fall-back.html
Jennifer A. Jones
Speak Media Blog