Here's what we have for you this week:
- Killer Grabs: A media circus turns dangerous, Darth Vader opposes facial recognition, and the ABC's Indigenous TV cuts spark a strong reaction.
- The ‘Miscarriage of Justice’ the Media Won't Report + Will Anyone Call Out Israel's Hind Rajab Lies?— By Osman Faruqi and Scott Mitchell
- The Good Ones: The best journalism, opinion and entertainment for you to enjoy.
It has been a heavy week of news, difficult to watch, and difficult for the people covering it.
We're so grateful that so many of you keep coming to us in these moments. We've started receiving even more emails and messages from you, with kind words about what the show means to you, tip-offs, and feedback on how we can do better.
We're still a bit light on staffing to reply to every single one – although we do try to – but we promise we read them all. They give us a huge amount of motivation to work hard, do our due diligence, and make the best show we can.
Thank you, as always.
Osman Faruqi
Killer Grabs
"We are aware media have repeatedly contacted the parties involved in this matter and this is having a significant impact, particularly on the complainants.
"We ask that media are respectful of all those involved and that repeated harassment of any parties may ultimately have an impact both on the criminal investigation and the welfare of the complainants." – Victoria Police statement released on Wednesday, in relation to the Sydney Swans sexual assault investigation.
It's not often we quote the police approvingly, but sometimes they have a point.
Mainstream media outlets have named the workplace of the alleged victims in this case, in a highly dubious move that can only serve to make the process of justice more difficult.
Some social media accounts have even named one of the women involved, and published a series of lurid allegations about her.
The public interest in this story revolves around the allegation of a criminal act. It's starting to look like, in their chase for clicks, many outlets have forgotten that. Let's hope it doesn't have disastrous consequences.
"The emperor is a fan of Flock, and we must contiue utilising Flock technologies, so that we can follow and surveil the rebel scum as they move from playground to playground." – 'Darth Vader' addresses San Diego City Council.
Flock is a surveillance technology company, which installs facial recognition and license plate-reading cameras across the United States. The company's AI draws all kinds of 'connections', which are sold to police as 'intelligence'.
This falsely sent a San Diego man to jail for a month because Flock wrongfully flagged him for felony crimes that he had nothing to do with, and has been used by dozens of cops to stalk and harass women. Darth might have to visit WA next, which is the first Australian state to trial similar technology.
"Unfortunately it’s not the way ABC wants to treat that area at the moment." — ABC source speaks to TV Blackbox, after Lamestream reported ABC management are axing the Indigenous TV department.
Following our reporting this week, we've been pleased to see others take up the story. One of the most interesting was TV Blackbox, which reported ABC sources were concerned that management wanted “warmer” and “historic" Indigenous stories.
Yep, forget searing satire like Always Was Tonight or drama that interrogates race in modern Australia like Redfern Now. Nope, Hugh Marks wouldn't be interested in that. If we're catching this source's drift, it sounds like Marks is more of a Green Book guy.
