What to look out for

In the introduction of this paper I listed some of the points that I was to take special notice of in my search for signs of spinning. To recapitulate :

- The use of emotional words
- Orwellian misuse of words
- Self-censorship — What is not reported
- The way something is reported
- Oversimplification
- Not presenting opposing interpretations of the facts
- Giving credibility to unidentified and unsubstantiated sources and assuming facts without evidence
- Lying

I found it quite useful and fun to use these criteria in trying to detect spin and examples of propaganda in media sources. They are universal, and most can be applied anywhere, including local newspapers, national news agencies, and magazines. These are the things to look out for in general when listening, reading, or watching news.

Things to look out for in the future regarding developments in Iraq are in my opinion:

- The closing of Guantanamo Bay, and Abu Ghraib, and reactions in the chain of command.
- More examples on film, pictures of Coalition brutality, recent as well as older ones, as well as crimes committed by private contractors.
- Pulling out of Coalition troops as elections in the U.S. and U.K. near, and the escalation of the Iraqi civil war.
- Possible legal procedures against the Bush administration, perhaps even in the International Criminal Court, even though the U.S. government does not recognise it.

I found that just being aware of some cases of spin makes most people more curious and critical of subsequent news articles. For me personally it also meant that I have grown a bit more cynical, and frustrated with the way things are going in the world. Above all, I’ve become more aware of how little most people know, or care, about these vital issues that, contrary to popular belief, involve all of us.

However, I have also noticed how there is a growing awareness in people, mainly in the U.S., that put up more and more resistance. The emergence of the blogosphere is becoming a main weapon in the war agains ignorance, and as long as the Internet is still freely accessible to use for anyone — it’s regulation is another thing to look out for in the near future — we are still able to do background checks, searches on sources, and find opposing viewpoints. In these days when governments are constantly trying to reaffirm their definition of democracy, and what place individuals have in it, it will become more and more important to establish our own personal freedoms and rights. And in order to preserve this, I think we have the duty to stay critical.