Opinion – The double-edged sword
If we do not protect the internet’s guerrilla journalists, corporate oligarchs will bankrupt reality. The unchecked rise of independent digital journalists is driving a structural shift in how the public consumes news, revealing critical legal gaps that threaten both democratic information and the creators’ survival. Traditional newsrooms no longer hold a monopoly on public attention. ... The post Opinion – The double-edged sword appeared first on New Era .
If we do not protect the internet’s guerrilla journalists, corporate oligarchs will bankrupt reality.
The unchecked rise of independent digital journalists is driving a structural shift in how the public consumes news, revealing critical legal gaps that threaten both democratic information and the creators’ survival.
Traditional newsrooms no longer hold a monopoly on public attention.
Unregulated content creators now dictate the daily news cycle.
They use smartphones to bypass corporate filters and gatekeepers, and they actively investigate stories that mainstream media outlets avoid (2026 Reuters Institute Digital News Report).
Data underscores a massive shift in global news consumption.
Fresh data from the 2026 Reuters Institute Digital News Report shows that 54% of respondents now rely primarily on social media and video platforms for their weekly news.
This exceeds traditional broadcast television news at 52% and traditional newspaper apps or websites at 51%.
Furthermore, 77% of consumers globally now watch online news videos each week.
