apple news midterm elections

Tim Cook

Do Apple and Facebook have beef?  I mean, Tim Cook has gone on record to say some critical things about Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook, but what I like about Apple is the way they retaliate.  Instead of simply taking to social media and blasting Facebook, Apple using the situation to their advantage.  By that I mean, Apple is launching a dedicated section within their Apple News in order to cover the U.S. midterm elections.  Sure, that might sound like something anyone could do, but they are focusing on “factual” content.  Some might read that as a new initiative from Apple, and that’s it, but I read it as a bit of a slap in the face. Don’t you?  I mean, Apple couldn’t be more clear with this messaging – they’re giving you a way to read factual news about these elections.

According to Apple, it will feature content from Fox News, Vox and other curated publications including some exclusives from the Washington Post, Axios, and Politico.  To be honest, I’m a bit surprised that Fox News made that list.  Aren’t you?  I mean, they’re known for catering to a right-wing agenda and maybe not in a good way.  That said, they are a news outlet, so it’s my hope that they have to adhere to certain standards.

What is Apple saying about this addition to the News app?

“Today more than ever people want information from reliable sources, especially when it comes to making voting decisions. An election is not just a contest; it should raise conversations and spark national discourse. By presenting quality news from trustworthy sources and curating a diverse range of opinions, Apple News aims to be a responsible steward of those conversations and help readers understand the candidates and the issues.”

I really like this idea.  Especially because of what happened during the 2016 Presidential campaign.  There was so much information out there, and no one knew exactly what was real and what was fake.  Hence the dawning of “fake news”.  But will this be enough?  I’m not sure that it will be enough, but I think it’s a great start.  How else are you going to tackle the idea of fake news?  People don’t necessarily have to read what Apple is presenting as the real news.  People are still entitled to their opinions, and if they want to get sucked into the fake news they’re more than welcome to.  But at least now they have an option.

The midterm section will include features like “The Conversation”, which will be an opinion piece from diverse source.  It will also feature an “On the Ground”, which is more localized reporting in individual constituencies.  This election content is only available in the United States and will feature some exclusive content.  Including a weekly brief from Axios, a dashboard of graphs and stats from the Washington Post and Politico reporting on important themes and trends. From a political standpoint, it sounds like Apple has all of the bases covered.  While I’m not sure that this will be enough, I think it shows a good gesture on Apple’s part.  Where is Facebook on this one?

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