LXer: How a cyberwar was spun by shoddy journalism
 

Published at LXer:

Journalistic scepticism was lacking when stories about a DDoS attack 'breaking' the internet surfaced. This is a real future risk. A veteran Reuters reporter related a piece of advice given by his editor: "It's not just what you print that makes you an authoritative and trusted source for news, but what you don't print." He wasn't talking about censorship, he was talking about what separates journalism from stenography and propaganda: sceptical scrutiny. The professionalism of the craft isn't simply learning to write or broadcast what other people tell you. Crucially it is the ability to delve, interrogate and challenge, and checking out stories you've discovered through your own curiosity, or robustly testing what other people tell you is true.

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