And so, about a year after anyone on Facebook could tell you their names, those responsible for the death of ‘Baby P’ have finally been publically named. I don’t know about you, but I’d seen their pictures and knew their names yonks ago. So why do the press and courts still labour under this pretence of secrecy?
The argument runs that the press should be prevented from publishing the names of defendants so that jurors and potential jurors can’t be swayed by outside influence. I think that kind of thinking is exactly symptomatic of the entire “establishment” view of the public: we can’t be trusted with information. We might “misinterpret” things. We “wouldn’t understand the complex issues surrounding the case”. We might – heaven fucking forbid – make up our own minds.
Why do have a culture of spin? Because the truth is difficult to face up to sometimes. So we prevaricate and dance around the facts – producing reports that only ever get read in executive summary 2 years after the issue blew over. Instead of trusting us with information and letting people grow into that responsibility, we are treated like children – sent along with a pat on the head and a “don’t worry, Daddy’s looking after this for you“. And you know what? it’s a self-fulfilling circle – treat people like kids, and eventually they’ll behave like kids.
Unluckily for them – the genie is out of the bottle. Whether it’s doctors and policemen blogging about what life is really like on the front line, whistleblowers, hackers or citizen journalists the jig is finally coming to an end. About 100 years too late, but better late than never.
Obligatory “string em up, death sentence is too good for ‘em” post. Kneejerk reactionary Daily Mail bullshit goes here. Just finishing up with some kind of tenuous link to asylum seekers/benefit scroungers and I’m done.
Asylum seekers cause cancer – surely you knew that already?