[LINK] Fwd: [ PRIVACY Forum ] Churnalism: Discover When News Copies from Other Sources

[Roger Clarke]

 From Lauren Weinstein's list:

>Churnalism: Discover When News Copies from Other Sources
>http://j.mp/ZNeRdy  (Sunlight Foundation)
>
>    "Churnalism US is a new web tool and browser extension that allows
>     anyone to compare the news you read against existing content to
>     uncover possible instances of plagiarism. It is a joint project with
>     the Media Standards Trust."

I'd have thought that a service like that would drown in the data.

For actual news stories, isn't there prettymuch a straight line back 
to AP, AFP, AAP, et al.?

And of course the database will be of little real use unless it also 
contains at least the media releases and 'copy' issued by 
corporations and governments.

It would be preferable that it also include the 'managed leaks' from 
'uusually reliable sources', but these aren't expressed in any 
copiable form - in order to sustain credible deniability and hence 
the mirage of journalism.


-- 
Roger Clarke                                 http://www.rogerclarke.com/

Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd      78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA
                    Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916
mailto:Roger.Clarke at xamax.com.au                http://www.xamax.com.au/

Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Law               University of NSW
Visiting Professor in Computer Science    Australian National University