Report that Indian Official Tampers With Instagram Posts Retracted By 'The Wire' (engadget.com) 9
Engadget writes:
After nearly three weeks of escalating rhetoric, The Wire is retracting its reporting on Meta.
On Sunday, the nonprofit publication said it had discovered "certain discrepancies" with the material that had informed its reporting on the social media giant since October 6th. "The Wire believes it is appropriate to retract the stories," the outlet said, pointing to the fact it could not authenticate two emails that were critical to its previous coverage of Meta. One of the emails The Wire said it could not verify includes a message the outlet had attributed to Meta spokesperson Andy Stone.
"Our investigation, which is ongoing, does not as yet allow us to take a conclusive view about the authenticity and bona fides of the sources with whom a member of our reporting team says he has been in touch over an extended period of time," The Wire said. "We are still reviewing the entire matter, including the possibility that it was deliberately sought to misinform or deceive The Wire."
The Wire had reported Meta "had given an influential official from India's ruling party the extraordinary power to censor Instagram posts that he didn't like," according to the Washington Post. But it took a weird turn when The Wire published a video of a takedown request, according to Engadget.
"One day later, Meta said an internal investigation found the video showed a Workspace account created on October 13th, suggesting someone made the account to back up The Wire's reporting."
On Sunday, the nonprofit publication said it had discovered "certain discrepancies" with the material that had informed its reporting on the social media giant since October 6th. "The Wire believes it is appropriate to retract the stories," the outlet said, pointing to the fact it could not authenticate two emails that were critical to its previous coverage of Meta. One of the emails The Wire said it could not verify includes a message the outlet had attributed to Meta spokesperson Andy Stone.
"Our investigation, which is ongoing, does not as yet allow us to take a conclusive view about the authenticity and bona fides of the sources with whom a member of our reporting team says he has been in touch over an extended period of time," The Wire said. "We are still reviewing the entire matter, including the possibility that it was deliberately sought to misinform or deceive The Wire."
The Wire had reported Meta "had given an influential official from India's ruling party the extraordinary power to censor Instagram posts that he didn't like," according to the Washington Post. But it took a weird turn when The Wire published a video of a takedown request, according to Engadget.
"One day later, Meta said an internal investigation found the video showed a Workspace account created on October 13th, suggesting someone made the account to back up The Wire's reporting."
At least they seem to be handling it the right way (Score:4, Interesting)
Unlike certain other media outlets that bury their retractions and silently drop stories, it's the front page of their website today.
Re: (Score:3)
Unlike certain other media outlets that bury their retractions and silently drop stories, it's the front page of their website today.
Probably Indian government suggesting that the new outlet spike the story or else doing their business could become MUCH MORE DIFFICULT in the near future.
The Wire should report how it was fooled (Score:5, Insightful)
The Wire is not the only one getting taken for a ride like this. Lots of Western newspapers are fooled like this. If Wire publishes a detailed account of how it was fooled, naming names of contacts, people who affirmed the legitimacy of the contacts naming names, hiding none, it would be a great service. There is this whole ecosystem of people who contact journalists, work their way in, establishing their credentials and gaining confidence, and they they sell them out. The same people are trusted by other journalists around there. Wire should burn all their reputations, and blow their cover sky high.
If all journalists pool their intelligence and out untrustworthy confidants, it would reduce media manipulation somewhat.
Re: The Wire should report how it was fooled (Score:2)
The writer at The Wire seems to have been ejected.
https://twitter.com/cringearch... [twitter.com]
What's with the fucking JOBBIO ads? (Score:2)
I added 20 dozen of them to uBlock and they keep popping up.
Re: (Score:2)
All In The Game, Yoâ¦
All In The Game.
Re: (Score:3)
Element picker (eye dropper) on the word Jobbio. I had to do two and it's gone except the name.
Re: (Score:2)
"Element picker (eye dropper) on the word Jobbio. I had to do two and it's gone except the name."
I'll try that, thanks.
But wait, there's more: "Tek Fog." (Score:3)
The same writers had a story a few months ago about a troll farm which used an Android app they called "Tek Fog" which had astonishing, almost magical capabilities.
While The Wire has "suspended" that story as well, the Wikipedia entry shows that it has the same general pattern as this current fiaco.
Also interesting is that the alleged culprits - the BJP - has studiously ignored both stories.
The Wire seems to have been played, probably by the same person.