AlterNet.org: Media and Technology

Facebook and Google Turned Into Government Spies? The Dangerous New Law Before Congress (CISPA)

Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:00:01 PDT

A private company doing the governmentâ€™s work does not face the same privacy restrictions.

What Law Enforcement Missed: New Book Explains Why We Need to Revisit the Oklahoma City Bombing

Laura Miller, Salon — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:01 PDT

The investigation failed to discover the truth because of sloppiness, self-serving intra-office politics, idiotic and obstructive turf wars among law enforcement agencies.

The Racism-Conservatism Link: 'National Review' Firestorm Over Racism Calls Up William F. Buckley's Troubling Legacy

William Hogeland, AlterNet — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:01 PDT

Did Buckley ever really renounce his defense of white supremacy in the South?

10 of Thomas Friedman's Dumbest "Big Ideas"

BelÃ©n FernÃ¡ndez, AlterNet — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:00:01 PDT

You know the world is flat -- and hot and crowded -- but that's just the tip of Friedman's iceberg of hackery.

Are Data-Mining and Advertising Stripping Language of its Meaning?

Lewis Lapham, TomDispatch.com — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 23:00:01 PDT

I can understand why words construed as product placement serve the interest of the corporation or the state, but they donâ€™t â€œenhanceâ€ or â€œempowerâ€ people.

No, Bill O'Reilly, Glee Will Not Make Your Kid Transgender. And So What if It Does?

Mary Elizabeth Williams, Salon — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 06:00:01 PDT

Transgender people take an overwhelmingly disproportionate amount of abuse and harassment. That's why it's awesome when they're depicted positively on TV.

Earth Day: 9 Films That Will Change the Way You Think About the World

Scott Thill, AlterNet — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:00:01 PDT

This Earth Day consider adding a few of these these mainstream and indie documentaries to your must-see list.

Moyers: Media Giants Fight Proposal That Could Shed Light on Who's Buying Our Elections

Bill Moyers, Michael Winship, BillMoyers.com — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:00:01 PDT

The new rule would require the ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox affiliates in the top 50 markets to make their files on political advertising available on line immediately.

Women, Sex and S&M: Mainstream Media Totally Wrong About Female Desire -- Again

Shira Tarrant, AlterNet — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 21:00:01 PDT

The real place women are getting spanked is in state legislatures across the country.

Will Information on Political Advertising Buyers Make it To the Public? Not if Industry Lobbyists Can Help It

Justin Elliott, ProPublica — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 08:00:01 PDT

If a new rule passes, broadcasters would have to post information about who buys political ads and for how much on a new FCC website for the public.

Republican Candidates Claim Fox News is Biased--Against Them

Eric Boehlert, Media Matters for America — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 13:00:01 PDT

The GOP candidates, flattered nonstop for years on Fox, suddenly found themselves competing for the channel's attention and fighting for kingmaker Roger Ailes' affection.

5 Guidelines that Can Prevent Sexist Reporting on Women in Politics

Sarah Seltzer, AlterNet — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 18:00:01 PDT

A new guide reminds us that even when we don't mean to, we can judge and describe female candidates differently.

The National Review: Always Was and Still Is Wildly Racist

Joan Walsh, Salon — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:00:01 PDT

John Derbyshire may be gone, but William F. Buckley's magazine championed divisive racial politics -- and still does.

Rush Limbaugh is Wrong About Rising College Costs--But So Are Most Politicians

Laura Clawson, Daily Kos — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:00:01 PDT

Rising college tuitions and student loan debt are a part of the broader war on workers, not a consequence of misguided liberal policies.

Cheerleading for Monsanto? The Shocking Lack of Difference Between Oxford University Press and Fox News

Frances Moore Lappe, AlterNet — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:00:01 PDT

Why is an esteemed academic press publishing books that lack even a basic citation of sources?

The Science of Fox News: Why Its Viewers are the Most Misinformed

Chris Mooney, AlterNet — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 23:00:01 PDT

Authoritarian people have a stronger emotional need for an outlet like Fox, where they can find affirmation and escape factual challenges to their beliefs.

New Laws Banning Sex Offenders from Social Networks and Online Gaming May Go Too Far

Tracy Clark-Flory, Salon — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 23:00:01 PDT

A push is under way to restrict registrants from social networking, virtual gaming and online dating.

Right-Wing Media Are the Ones Playing the "Race Card" Over Trayvon Martin's Death

Solange Uwimana, Media Matters for America — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:00:01 PDT

As questions remain as to the role race played in the death of Trayvon Martin, the right is using race-baiting tactics to silence any broader conversation about racism.

Google vs. Facebook: The New Media Showdown

Rory O'Connor, Media Is Plural — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 09:00:01 PDT

Google co-founder Larry Page is paranoidâ€”and justifiably so, as his company's losing ground in the social media sphere to Facebook despite its best attempts.

10 Examples of Literary Nonfiction That Make Facts Compelling

Anna Clark, AlterNet — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 21:00:01 PDT

Mike Daisey argued that he had to stretch the facts in order to get at a "greater truth." These 10 works prove you can tell great stories without giving up on accuracy.