Civic journalism

[Simone]

[box]The World Assembly,

Aghast at the passing of the resolution GAR#624 "Protections In Wartime Reporting", which includes several literally fatal loopholes endangering the lives of journalists, "civic journalism" and social media users already facing grave dangers at war, including:

1. Section (3)(b) of the said resolution, which introduced the loophole of stopping all journalists to enter the war-torn areas, creating a loophole over protections afforded under GAR#601 ("Freedom of Travel") and hampering freedom of the press;
   
2. Significant ambiguities resulting from (i) defining "wartime reporting", but not who is a "wartime reporter", (ii) an open-ended definition of "espionage" and "clandestine" activities, resulting in numerous issues (specifically, depending on which side[/] they fall among belligerents in a war), including:
   
   
   • Potentially allowing significant users of social media to lose protection otherwise available under GAR#334 ("Protected Status in Wartime") and become belligerents in a war (inadvertently or otherwise) merely due to their use of social media to reveal information that may be considered "clandestine" ;
     
   • The absence of any accountability towards "open-source intelligence" ("OSINT"), which has become far more important in warfare in very recent times as a result of developments in technologies across the NS multi-verse, such as the use of low-cost satellites, positioning systems, smart phones, the use of common social media and communication platforms even by troops on the ground;
     
   • Ambiguities in section (4) resulting in the possible interpretation of OSINT participants as combatants, and causing them to lose their protection under GAR#334 ("Protected Status in Wartime") and GAR#345 ("Proscription on Living Shields")
   
   [*]The absence of any protection for paramilitary activities (under ) which may be considered by separate pending resolutions on law enforcement officers;
   
   [*]The replacement of a stronger resolution (GAR#554, "Safety and Integrity In Conflict Journalism") by a weaker resolution, and the abject failure to close loopholes cited in GAR#591 ("Repeal "Safety and Integrity In Conflict Journalism")
   
   Hereby repeals GAR#[624] "Protections in Wartime Reporting" and looks forward to rigorous debate in the esteemed Assembly on any possible replacements.[/box]

 

[Magecastle]

Is this still in progress? Asking since the NS thread has been inactive since soon after the target passed.

 

[Simone]

On the cards but slowly. My views on civic journalism have been evolving post the war in Ukraine.