Censoring the news

[Squarebear]

I might be being naive here. But it's a subject that I feel warrants some thought.

Do you remember the days before mobile phones when in the summer you'd jump on a plane to Spain/wherever and spend two weeks devoid of contact with Britain. You might occasionally chance upon a day-old Daily Mirror but the likelihood was you'd not have a scooby what was happening at home. And in truth this probably played a not insignificant part in you "switching off".

A few weeks ago a member of the press asked a government minister if there was any need to panic buy petrol. As questions go it was a hospital pass, and the inevitability of queues at petrol stations was assured no matter what the government response.

Currently we've got an ongoing news story about spiking of women's drinks. Spiking has been around for years of course but it seems it's now growing in "popularity", and I'm left wondering whether press attention feeds that popularity.

I understand that the government can bar the press from reporting certain things that risk National security, and we are probably all familiar with celebrity shagging stories that are blocked by super injunctions, but I can see the case for the suppression of stories that just cause more shit to happen by encouraging copycat behaviour. And honestly, as a people, we'd arguably be better off not knowing.

I wonder how suppressing news stories of this nature could be policed?

(Zero thread).

 

[JackSomething]

Surely the petrol question was easy - 'There is absolutely no need for anyone to panic buy petrol, there will only be widespread shortages at the pumps if people do start panic buying as that will cause a chain reaction.'

As for the drink spiking, I'd say any copycat encouragement is counteracted by the increased attention brought to the issue, with punters being more safety-conscious and venues having to do more to protect their customers.

 

[Dr. Winston]

Surely the petrol question was easy - 'There is absolutely no need for anyone to panic buy petrol, there will only be widespread shortages at the pumps if people do start panic buying as that will cause a chain reaction.'

That basically was the response, yet people still panic bought anyway.

 

[Squarebear]

Exactly so, Dr Winston. If it had been a Russian journalist asking that very question we'd possibly have had the right wing press arguing that the Kremlin were behind an attempt to incite civil unrest.

 

[Squarebear]

As for the drink spiking, I'd say any copycat encouragement is counteracted by the increased attention brought to the issue, with punters being more safety-conscious and venues having to do more to protect their customers.

While I accept that increased awareness of a danger is of benefit (e.g. wearing seat belts, steps to prevent DVT among air passengers) the difference with regard to spiking is that the publicity around the crime seems to be fuelling the risk.

See also recreational drug use.

 

[Best_loser]

As for the drink spiking, I'd say any copycat encouragement is counteracted by the increased attention brought to the issue, with punters being more safety-conscious and venues having to do more to protect their customers.

While I accept that increased awareness of a danger is of benefit (e.g. wearing seat belts, steps to prevent DVT among air passengers) the difference with regard to spiking is that the publicity around the crime seems to be fuelling the risk.

See also recreational drug use.

Surely its a good thing to be in the media , the creeps who do it will know people are looking out for it more and the women will be more aware and take more care

 

[J_B]

I used to work with paramedics and I was told that the media agreed to stop stories about teenagers in the Bridgend area taking or attempting to take their own lives a few years ago. It was felt that the stories were fuelling the problem and local paramedics were rushed off their feet attending these incidents to the detriment of other emergency calls.

 

[JackSomething]

Surely the petrol question was easy - 'There is absolutely no need for anyone to panic buy petrol, there will only be widespread shortages at the pumps if people do start panic buying as that will cause a chain reaction.'

That basically was the response, yet people still panic bought anyway.

Of course they did, because people are selfish pricks. Probably a lot of the people filling their tanks if it dropped below half and taking along containers are the same ones still working their way through stockpiles of pasta and toilet paper from last March.

I don't see what else a politician could say though.

 

[JackSomething]

As for the drink spiking, I'd say any copycat encouragement is counteracted by the increased attention brought to the issue, with punters being more safety-conscious and venues having to do more to protect their customers.

While I accept that increased awareness of a danger is of benefit (e.g. wearing seat belts, steps to prevent DVT among air passengers) the difference with regard to spiking is that the publicity around the crime seems to be fuelling the risk.

See also recreational drug use.

I get what you're saying with drug use (and JB's example is a very good one), but can't see it personally when it comes to drink spiking. Maybe it will encourage other nutters to try it, but the increased awareness of the practice should help scupper their plans. I see it's spurring some venues to put lots of new practices in place to try and deter it.

 

[jack123]

Seems the latest craze is actually injecting people rather than spiking their drinks.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/wind-street-spiking-drink-swansea-22079491

Should have the book chucked at then if caught, for any kind of spiking.

 

[Costello]

What is far more of a concern to me is the way our mainstream news is continually censored.

 

[Squarebear]

What is far more of a concern to me is the way our mainstream news is continually censored.

Examples would help.

Not doubting you. Just interested.

 

[Darran]

Seems the latest craze is actually injecting people rather than spiking their drinks.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/wind-street-spiking-drink-swansea-22079491

Should have the book chucked at then if caught, for any kind of spiking.

In my opinion anyone caught doing that should serve at least 25 years inside.

 

[MajorR]

What is far more of a concern to me is the way our mainstream news is continually censored.

Or the fact that large sections of our media are owned by a small group of powerful people who use their position to push a narrative, or on occasions tell porkies or intrude in peoples lives for no good reason.

 

[Costello]

What is far more of a concern to me is the way our mainstream news is continually censored.

Examples would help.

Not doubting you. Just interested.

Just google it - plenty of examples. It sort of ties in with Major R's reply