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The Big Threat: Fake news on the home front
There’s nothing like a spot of overseas travel to throw your life at home into sharp focus. That’s true whether you go on a lazy tropical island vacation or a work trip packed with conferences and meetings. And so: after six weeks spent trooping about the northern hemisphere on a Churchill Fellowship, compiling interviews for the first six episodes of this podcast series, it’s time to bring it all home. Welcome to the seventh and final episode of The Big Threat - where some of the leading Australian authorities on the subject help me take stock of the extent to which mis- and disinformation pose a threat to our own democracy and what can be done about it.
Fake news on the home front
When Australia’s Governor-General Sam Mostyn assumed office just over a year ago, her appointment was met with a flurry of online rumours and disinformation - claims about the how and why of her selection as GG that were flat-out lies, but nevertheless found traction on the internet. And she knew our democracy had a problem.
In this week’s episode of The Big Threat, I sit down with our Governor-General and discover why she is determined to make media literacy and civics education hallmarks of her tenure.
Former Labor leader, Bill Shorten - who’s been the subject of a disinformation campaign or two in his time - walks us through the University of Canberra’s Digital News Report, and says Australia’s geographical isolation won’t protect it from the “demagoguery” of the internet.
And former SA Premier Jay Weatherill - in his new capacity with the McKinnon Foundation - argues a robust Fourth Estate is absolutely vital to any functioning democracy.
Part-podcast, part rallying-cry, this final episode is called The Home Front. It marks the culmination of almost twelve months’ work - but hopefully is only the starting point of a conversation about how, as a country, we start to tackle one of the most pressing challenges of our time.
You can listen to Episode 7 of The Big Threat here or tune in on YouTube - and hit subscribe while you’re at it. And scroll on for highlights from my conversations.
Interview Highlights
Highlight 1: On the threat of mis- and disinformation
Bill Shorten, former Labor leader: “The internet is great and it has democratised knowledge, but it's also democratised demagoguery and lies.”
Highlight 2: On a vibrant Fourth Estate
Jay Weatherill, Executive Director at McKinnon Foundation: “This is why journalism's so important. Professional journalism and public interest journalism are the bedrocks of successful democracies.”
Highlight 3: On the importance of media literacy
Sam Mostyn, Governor-General of Australia: “I can't imagine having any child in a school today where [media literacy] is not a foundational skill along with numeracy and literacy.”
What are we doing about it?
That would be our world-leading daily news podcast for 7-12yos, Squiz Kids, and our media literacy program Newshounds…
Since 2020, our investment in ensuring Australia’s next generations become critical consumers of news and information online has been significant, and we’re committed to the cause.
How can you help? Recommend Squiz Kids to the parents, carers and teachers in your life - and if you fall into one of those categories yourself, dive in. We’re in more than 6,000 classrooms and many more family homes around the country, fuelling kids’ interest in the news every day.
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