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Showing posts from September, 2019

Facebook and Fake News

Fake news has been a divisive topic in our country over the past few years. The rapid spread of misinformation messes with people's minds, leading them to not know what is fact and what isn't. Facebook is a large part of the spread of fake news, and it's all thanks to a feature that they had removed 2 years ago: editable link previews. With this feature, users would be able to edit the image, headline, and description to whatever they wanted before they would post it. Facebook responded to this in 2017 in a statement, where they addressed the issue in the link editor and removed the feature entirely. Allowing the user to change a headline can heavily influence one's opinion.  With the advent of social media, many young people get their information primarily from apps like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Apple News. The instant access allows for them to quickly share any kind of news with their friends and family, who will then share it with more people until it

A Divisive Night in Germany

Sports are an escape for people. They serve as a way to bring people together and for them to forget about trivial topics like politics. Unfortunately, two security stewards at a German soccer match turned the event into a political spectacle. During a match between Dynamo Dresden and St. Pauli on Saturday, the stewards refused to remove a German flag from an exit. They were then seen wearing outfits displaying Nazi imagery, such as a shirt that displayed the logo of an SS division. Dresden has been scrutinized in the past for its use of offensive banners, and this latest offense could result in a fine of anywhere from $20,000 to $165,000. The usage of Nazi imagery in Germany violates Strafgesetzbuch section 86a, and the stewards face a fine or a prison sentence of up to 3 years. In my opinion, the actions of these stewards is disgusting. Using symbols that are linked to one of the most hateful political groups in history is uncalled for, especially at a sporting event. These g