Posted by A discussion of Joel Simon and Robert Mahoney's new book:
The InfoDemic - How Censorship And Lies Made The World Sicker And Less Free
We are happy to announce that Joel Simon and Robert Mahoney, who have traveled the world for many years defending press freedom and journalists' rights as the directors of the Committee to Protect Journalists, will visit with our alumni group to share their new book, ‘THE INFODEMIC.'
As COVID-19 spread around the world, so did government censorship. The Infodemic lays bare not just old-fashioned censorship, but also the mechanisms of a modern brand of “censorship through noise,” which moves beyond traditional means of state control—such as the jailing of critics and restricting the flow of information—to open the floodgates of misinformation, overwhelming the public with lies and half-truths.
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The authors will discuss the following:
- The onslaught of COVID censorship beginning in China, through Iran, Russia, India, Egypt, Brazil, and inside the Trump White House.
- Increased surveillance in the name of public health, the collapse of public trust in institutions, and the demise of local news reporting all contributed to helping governments hijack the flow of information and usurp power.
- Vivid characters and behind-the-scenes accounts of how under the cover of a global pandemic, governments have undermined freedom and taken control—this new political order may be the legacy of the disease.
Talk Agenda
- 7:00-7:10 pm Welcome, Updates
- 7:10-8:00 Introductions, The Talk
- 8:00-8:30 Q&A, Closing Statements
You can order the book from these booksellers:
Joel Simon
Joel Simon is a fellow at the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia Journalism School and formerly the Executive Director of the Committee to Protect Journalists. Before joining CPJ, he worked as a journalist in Latin America and California. He is the author of three books, including We Want to Negotiate: The Secret World of Hostages, Kidnapping, and Ransom, also from Columbia Global Reports. He lives in Brooklyn, New York. @JoelSimonSays
Robert Mahoney
Robert Mahoney is Director of Special Operations at the Committee to Protect Journalists. He was a Reuters correspondent with postings in Southeast Asia, West Africa, India, Israel, France and Germany. This is Robert’s first book. He lives in New York City. @RobertMMahoney