Leo Varadkar story in The Village??? - Mod Notes and banned Users in OP updated 16/05

One would think the so called ‘journalist’ would have verified his ‘story’ before going into the public realm

People who behave like that should start looking for another job kind of rapid.

Or this one from your guy.

https://twitter.com/LeoVaradkar/status/1369654303355453440?t=S67SWDhJMdnMjLEVYBlYpA&s=19

Unfortunately journalism today depend on these ‘sources’, one is given to understand.

Usually, it appears, disgruntled individuals holding grudges.

So called ‘journalists’ should surely check out the veracity before going public.

A few hefty court cases would soften their coughs.

You seem to be saying that so called ‘Journalists’ should take a chance and perhaps ruin a persons career then?

People are getting screwed including media and journalism. Global internet control adds even more screwing and so we turning into dystopia because of freedom being reduced significantly on daily basis. For everyone. It is so terrifying that ignorance is not only a bliss anymore but somehow the only way to keep sane.

You know things are bad when thejournal.ie issues a Fact Check on the 'government jet' story.

The people who extoll the virtues of Twitter as a journalism platform are totally deluded on the way it has changed public policy debates into a big, perpetual and very angry fight over all types of nonsense, most of it untrue and false.

There are countless studies done on the effects of social media and the rise of extremism, mental health issues, isolation, misinformation, increased suicides, deterioration of civic discourse, and so on.

As the saying goes, a lie can be halfway around the world before the truth gets its boots on.

Social media is poison.

It is of course not surprising that the usual crew loves social media because it is seen as some benevolent force fighting the establishment and holding politicians to account. They are sucked into the whole narrative, giving blow-by-blow accounts of who said what and when, as if it's a game of football. They are on the side of the cranks, Russian bots, anti-vaxxers, and conspiracy theorsists who are all more visible these days. It is literally a hobby for some. Doom scrolling with some pseudo activism thrown in.

Now, one would think that the latest gaffe which had many people sucked in would be time for thought and reflect on how they consume social media, but Nah..... onwards with the bantz!

Tell that to RTE.

Who runs that Facebook account? Some nobodies?

Are they passing themselves off as The Pheonix? Because I just went onto their Facebook page and every.single.item of satire they had was anti-government.

The thing about satire is that you are supposed to shoot in every direction.

Poor effort all round.

There have been many types of journalists for centuries now. Twitter didn't create the tatler or gossip column.

It's just funny Podge that this cry about social media is loudest whenever the established political parties are in the doodah.

I'm old enough to remember the exact same lamentations about the 'gutter' press and gossip. This story gained traction for a while because of the activity of colleagues of this particular politician and his previous arrogance. A perfect storm so to speak.

Never disappeared for a second. Not my style. That's an out and out lie.

Are you denying the negatives that social media is having on society, despite all the research and data collected?

I am pointing out the handy crutch these 'negatives' become whenever certain political entities are in trouble.

All sorts of things have negative influence on society, are you gonna deny that established media didn't have negative effects at times? It amazes me that all these oh so effected don't just leave SM if it is so bad and negative. Why take part in something that is negative?

I'll tell you why Mark, because despite it's negative aspects it is by and large a good thing, if used well, advantageous, and if used badly, like anything else used badly, negative.

And its handy to dismiss out of hand the negatives of social media when you're in the thick of it giving the other lads a kicking, all in the name of some 'bantz'

Again, ignore the tonnes of research into the negatives of social media, the social isolation, the mental health issues, the increased risks of suicide, the misinformation, the bots spread by nation-states, the anti-vax stuff, the QANON stuff... and so on.

Social media gives oxygen to many of these things. Remember, we have a perfectly fine functioning democracy 20 years ago when we didn't have social media. If we didn't have it today, we would be fine.

It's OK though. In a few years time when the shoe is on the other foot, and your boys in West Belfast are getting a kicking from pillar to post, even if most of it is not fair or even true, you may think back to this post and say, "Maybe he had a point?"

Be careful about what you wish for.