Editor:
Congratulations on your 25 years as our Sunshine Coast newspaper, but don’t rest now. We need you more than ever. Coast social media sites let us know what’s going on for the people who post, but they are not a reliable source of information on what’s going on for all of us. Only a newspaper is responsible for checking the facts before reporting and for ensuring that all sides of the story get heard. I am particularly worried about the labelling, name-calling, and posting of photos and private information on social media sites. These sites seem to be obsessed with rewarding the “good” and punishing the “bad.” A newspaper is accountable for disseminating information without prejudice and without causing undue harm. Too often the purpose of social media sites seems to be to confirm community prejudices. No one deserves to have their face splashed over social media because they happened to be walking by a house whose planter went missing, whether they are old or young, rich or poor, or wearing a hoodie or not. That is why I prefer to get my news from a newspaper.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Vance
Gibsons
