Net neutrality and Trust

The last I highlighted the issee of Net Neutrality was in a post that explored the future of the internet.

Molly Wood, Executive Editor at Cnet.com has an interesting post on the issue, written in her signature and inimitable style. Of particular interest to me, aside from the issue of Net Neutrality itself, was the creation of fake grassroots sites, as pointed out by Molly, either in favour of or against Net Neutrality.

Molly calls these websites “unbelievably manipulative” and “disingenuous”. I’ve also written about online trust (or lack thereof) in earlier posts - Conmen & trust in the age of ICT and Trust - Are you who I think you are?.

Akin to to the increasingly number and sophisticated nature of advertorials in print and online media, websites too are usurping the trust of ordinary web users to promote highly partisan arguments. I pointed out in an earlier post that an article on mobiles in Sri Lanka appearing in one of the leading newspapers was highly biased towards a single mobile telecoms solutions provider.

As Molly points out, these website parading half-truth and blatant lies as informed analysis and measured opinions for or against a particular issues, manipulating public opinion and robbing those who visit the sites of an impartial, responsible and accurate analysis that is the bedrock of an informed response to any issue.

Rather than an process of regulation, it is imperative that websites and indeed, all media, that serves the interests of a few, are exposed and critiqued, a process through which public trust can be restored & strengthened in the veracity of information in media.

For newsprint in particular, one can follow approaches such as the establishment of a News Ombudsman, as pointed out by the Organisation of News Ombudsmen:

A news ombudsman receives and investigates complaints from newspaper readers or listeners or viewers of radio and television stations about accuracy, fairness, balance and good taste in news coverage. He or she recommends appropriate remedies or responses to correct or clarify news reports.

Ravaya (a Sinhala alternative newspaper in Sri Lanka, I am told, is the first to establish such an office to elicit public feedback to its standards journalism)

It would be useful to explore such models of strengthening public confidence in online fora as well, especially for Online Dispute Resolution systems & websites, along the lines of what ICANN did in November 2004.

Rather than a over-bearing regulatory mechanisms prone to parochial interests, it is far better to ensure both the vibrant nature of debate on the internet as well as strenghten public confidence in the information contained in websites on important issues such a democracy, peace, conflict transformation, online auction, popular blogs, grassroots websites et al through mechanisms such as the office of an ombudsmen that may help address some of the problems Molly raises in her article.

As an aside, I found it fascinating that the Wikipedia entry on Net Neutrality is itself under review for neutrality!