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This article was originally published in Medians' 10 Links newsletter, sent every other Monday at 2pm. Sign up here!
- PAPER (Medians) — Offer readers the chance to buy physical versions of articles freely available online? That's the bet of Splann !, a Breton investigative media outlet, which sells its booklets on its website or in bookstores. Objective: to offer a different reading experience and distribute its journalism more widely, away from social media.
- INDEPENDENCE (Le Monde) — Splann ! publications are unlikely to be on the bedside table of the president of the Finistère departmental council. After two journalists from the media outlet were prevented from attending a meeting, the elected official denied any obstruction, but called the media a "far-left blog" spreading "an alternative truth." A revealing episode of a worrying trend.
- COMMUNITY (Nieman Lab) — Another sign that media outlets are reclaiming control of their digital strategies: the return of comment sections below articles. After gradually phasing out this feature in favor of social media, some newsrooms are trying to bring conversations back to their sites, as discussions on platforms have deteriorated.
P.S. A trend that reignites debate on the moderating role of media. Mediapart recently examined how newsrooms handle racist comments left on social media or directly on their sites.
- INTERNET (France Culture) — Wikipedia turns 25. An opportunity to look back at the unique place the encyclopedia occupies in an Internet hostile to its model. Strange in many respects, it embodies, alongside many other players, an alternative and community-driven web that seeks to nurture a free Internet in the face of the GAFAM.
- AI (In algorithms) — Are we still writing for readers or already for machines? If AI is establishing itself as a new intermediary, summarizing, formatting and distributing web content, then information must be conceived and optimized for machines in the hope of being captured by their nets. An evolution that calls for greater transparency to monitor, moderate and control this intermediation.
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- PLATFORMS (WIRED) — For weeks, X users have been using its AI, Grok, to generate nude images of women. Yet the social network and the AI, which has also been accused of creating images involving minors, remain available on major app stores that have apparently seen no reason to restrict access. A troubling free pass at best.
P.S. X announced on January 14 that it had blocked this feature in several countries. Restrictions that nonetheless appear partial and easily circumventable, according to multiple sources.
- PLATFORMS (JSTOR) — These drifts fuel a broader discussion around the concept of the "public social network". The idea: to consider that certain platforms serve the public interest and that, given their social and democratic role, they should be subject to a form of citizen governance and universal access.
- AI (Aftermath) — Nicole Carpenter, a journalist, one day receives a correction request for an article she never wrote. Published by an obscure website under her name, all of her namesake's articles disappear after a decidedly vague apology. Without firm evidence, the journalist suspects a practice set to become commonplace: AI-generated articles impersonating real journalists.
- PLATFORMS (The Verge) — As the United States implements increasingly severe migration policies, some media outlets are adapting to their community's digital habits to inform them better. Documented relies on WeChat for its Chinese readers, WhatsApp for Spanish speakers, and Nextdoor for the Caribbean community. An effective pragmatism, but limited by the rules and features of these platforms.
- MODEL (Le Monde) — Content creators are emerging as major sources of information. Yet their business model remains fragile, heavily dependent on advertising and platforms. Between journalism and influence, the sector is exploring new avenues: labeling, regulation, and access to public press subsidies.
