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jaunthieRevising history is just so much easier when so much of your news and information is being broadcast ephemerally, such as being published on the Web or broadcast on television.
Realize that an editorial has angered people in power? Just take it off the Web site - or put the editorial columnists behind a firewall, where they can't offend anyone who doesn't pay for the privilege.
Determine that a piece of investigative reporting might inflame a vocal portion of the population? Remove the article and fire the editor.
Want to avoid being embarrased by pictures of you with a now-disgraced and/or indited lobbyist? Pressure the online firm to pull and destroy the digital images.
Some of this kind of thing is the work of powerful people who want to avoid embarrasing themselves. But some of it is more insidious - the work of people censoring themselves, whether because of internal fears or external pressure or some combination thereof. And when the only record of the original thought, action, or deed is electronic - then you have an entire section of history that is (or can be) constantly under revision.
And print media, such as newspapers, are struggling - even supposing you can get access to their archives.
Realize that an editorial has angered people in power? Just take it off the Web site - or put the editorial columnists behind a firewall, where they can't offend anyone who doesn't pay for the privilege.
Determine that a piece of investigative reporting might inflame a vocal portion of the population? Remove the article and fire the editor.
Want to avoid being embarrased by pictures of you with a now-disgraced and/or indited lobbyist? Pressure the online firm to pull and destroy the digital images.
Some of this kind of thing is the work of powerful people who want to avoid embarrasing themselves. But some of it is more insidious - the work of people censoring themselves, whether because of internal fears or external pressure or some combination thereof. And when the only record of the original thought, action, or deed is electronic - then you have an entire section of history that is (or can be) constantly under revision.
And print media, such as newspapers, are struggling - even supposing you can get access to their archives.
