A critical problem plaguing society is the prevalence of misinformation in the press. If we as a society allow personal bias to twist the words of individuals, then we are doing a disservice to society as a whole. Some may see any limitations placed on the press to be regressive. However, these individuals fail to comprehend the conception of historic relativity. Nothing is more oppressive to liberty than ignoring pressing issues that tear down the social contract between an individual and those that represent them in society. Effective liberty is only possible with social cognizance from the shapers of public policy.
The ever-changing world of technology presents new challenges in 21st-century society. The recently proposed legislation in Georgia, which would establish a journalism ethics board, aims at tackling the issue of misinformation in the age of social media. Lawmakers are addressing a relevant and pressing matter that has worsened with the rise of social media. Fake news often relies on personal bias, false memories, and misattribution in order to influence how individuals interpret and remember information. I cite this particular fact to shed light on the psychological reasoning that may explain the uptick of fake news and cyber propaganda.
The crisis in liberalism is the rise of untrustworthy information and the rapid spread of said information on a global scale, which has a profound effect on featured individuals. The credibility of news is being tarnished by the appearance of information masquerading as trustworthy, hiding behind the legitimacy of major news organizations, while actually spreading misinformation. Those whose words yield great power have a societal responsibility and should be held accountable for the ideas that they introduce into society. Individuals interviewed for the news have the right to give context and debunk any misleading presentation of their character. These statements do not imply that all news organizations are knowingly spreading false information, but establishing a journalism ethics board would hold journalists accountable for how they choose to present information.
The problem of misinformation becomes the problem of society, extending to all areas of the globe as a result of the internet, in which the public’s opinions, knowledge, and ideas are shaped by news organizations. Journalists have a duty to the people to sustain them with knowledge that is accurate, fair, and thorough. “Such an organization demands much more of education than general schooling” and carries the duty of freeing individuals from their slavish instincts by presenting unbiased, fact-checked information with integrity (31). It demands more of journalism.