Voices Online: Petitioning for Real World Change

The Internet is an amplifier. It flattens space and time to amplify information, connections, and access around the world. On the other side of the coin, it can amplify perspectives that are generally considered unhelpful in today's society, including disinformation and hate speech. As the Director of Research for MediaSmarts, Kara Brisson-Boivin stresses that our online environments shape our online experiences which in turn affects our capacity to develop empathy and act ethically. In our final episode, Mohit chats with Kara about how to mitigate hate speech, identify disinformation and strengthen digital media literacy in Canada.    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Indigenous perspectives have historically been underrepresented and misrepresented in Canadian news. Journalist Emilee Gilpin says the source of the problem is a lack of accountability and diversity within Canadian newsrooms and journalism schools.  In this episode, host Mohit Rajhans sits down with Emilee to discuss how newsrooms can decolonize Canadian news, what it means to shift from extractive storytelling to trauma-informed reporting, and how media can build trust with Indigenous communities.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shifting focus from print to digital, newsrooms are evolving how they tell stories and reach audiences. This shift also affected their business models. Publishers’ advertising revenues have taken a steep decline as competition increased through the Internet.  Journalists like Emma Gilchrist are trying to change the tide by changing the business model. In 2018, she co-founded The Narwhal, an independent news organization sustained through an ad-free, subscription-based business model. Under this model, their newsroom continues to expand. This episode, host Mohit Rajhans speaks with Emma about how to build trust online, where journalism is headed, and how The Narwhal's unique model enabled her team to take action when the RCMP illegally arrested one of their journalists.    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Much like the Internet, what we eat says a lot about who we are, what we have access to, and how we relate to one another. Perhaps no one knows this better than the experts who make the meals we love. It’s part of why food writer and cookbook author, Tara O’Brady, began sharing her love of food online seventeen years ago. Since then, food media has only become more immersive - moving from blogs to full-fledged lifestyle brands. The question is: why? Why are people hungry for more? And more importantly, what does it take to satisfy the Internet’s appetite?  Our host, Mohit Rajhans, sits down with Tara O'Brady to talk about why we're so obsessed with food personalities, what it takes to stay in the game, and what she hopes for the future of food media.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Almost two years into the pandemic, it’s probably fair to say science has never been so easy to access online and so often called into question. From government press conferences and lab-leak theories to lockdown measures and anti-vax rallies, it seems everyone has an opinion but not everyone has the same facts. That’s where content creators like Dr. Samantha Yammine come in. Armed with a PhD in neuroscience, Sam reaches millions online to dispel myths and educate her followers in real-time. She’s part of a new class of science communicators, a niche group of health experts who are rethinking what science education looks like, and in doing so, how we all make sense of our lives. Our host, Mohit Rajhans, speaks with Sam about how she uses social media to make science more accessible and what it’s like being a go-to source for the public during the pandemic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Depending on how you use the internet, to you, a “content creator” might mean a person making millions of dollars posting videos of their daily lives, a Twitch streamer earning sponsorships to marathon game, or a performing artist finding a new stage and global audiences online. Whatever your reference, there’s no denying the creator economy is on the rise. Canadians are abandoning their traditional 9-5 jobs to pursue a livelihood as content creators. So, what does life as a content creator look like when the cameras aren’t rolling?  And as this economy grows, what supports and resources do Canadian creators need to flourish?  This week, our host, Mohit Rajhans, speaks with Dr. Richard Lachman, an associate professor of Digital Media at X University, about the future of the creator economy.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The anti-Black racism movement was in the media spotlight in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd. While media coverage helped spark global conversations about systemic racism, journalism graduate and reporter Breanna Xavier-Carter noticed that not all reporting was fair and unbiased. She started an online petition calling on Ryerson University to educate its students on how they can report on racial issues through an unbiased lens. Now, she speaks with our host, Mohit Rajhans, about the power and limitations of online activism, how media coverage needs to change, and the implications of being a journalist online. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Speech online has transformed the way our society functions. Digital technologies allow us the freedom to express ourselves and connect with others. But as we’ve witnessed, they’ve also been used as tools to promote hateful content.  The question is: how do we protect free speech while making sure they aren’t used as tools to spread hate or misinformation? Tamara Small is an associate professor at the University of Guelph in the department of political science. She has spent over 15 years studying digital politics in Canada. Our host, Mohit Rajhans, speaks with Tamara about the future of free speech online.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During the pandemic, the Internet has helped people connect with their loved ones, meet with their coworkers, and access the latest news about COVID-19. It has helped spark meaningful conversations about democracy, racism and social justice. But it has also been used as a tool to spread misinformation and hateful content. Host Mohit Rajhans speaks with experts about the complex issues that are impacting the digital lives of Canadians today and solutions for the challenges that lie ahead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.