pn864. Our very own "Hellspace of Toxicity" -- Sanjann Hattotuwa

Sanjann Hattotuwa, researcher

Daily Covid cases --  Wed, 3,298, 179 in hospital. Thurs. 6137, 205 in hospital, 2 Intensive Care, Friday 12,021, 237 in hospital, 5 deaths, Sat. 13,606, 263 in hospital, 5 in IC. Sun. 14,941, 305 in hospital, 5 in IC,  death. Mon. 14,633, 344 in hospital, 5 IC. Tues.  19,566,  373 in hospital, 5 IC.Wed. 22,152, 405 in hospital, 10 IC.  Unvaccinated 4 times more likely be hospitalised than those vaccinated. 

Once upon a time, not too long ago,  our news and information came from newspapers, radio and TV. We replied with "letters to the editor."  

Today, many —and perhaps most— people get and exchange views and much or even most of their news and information via their cellphones from digital platforms such as  Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram which, unfortunately, are all fertile grounds for misinformation.    

But the most worrying media platform is Telegram. 

Te Pūnaha Matatini researcher Sanjann Hattotuwa calls it a “hell space of toxicity in Aotearoa, and globally”. It is “fundamentally different” because it welcomes many who have been turfed off the more familiar platforms but also because it doesn’t deploy an algorithm – a device by which certain types of content can either be elevated, but also buried, according to its design. It includes the ultra-rightwing, conspiracy-propagating Counterspin that has played a big part in recruitment and support for the protesters at Parliament.