Homeless Hotspots Is Not Exploitative, The People Writing About It Are
The cries of EXPLOITATION are ringing out from all over, yet many of the people writing about Homeless Hotspots are engaging in some exploitation of their own. They’re claiming outrage on behalf of the men and women involved instead of actually talking to them. Or they’re just outraged in general without any real thought given to the individuals involved and affected. They’re shaming anyone who would dare “leech” the Wi-Fi from their very blood! even though, by taking advantage of the service, the users are giving HH participants a chance to earn money.
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Would these people be angry if college students were the ones wearing “I’m a hotspot” t-shirts and standing around the convention center? Would it be exploitative and dehumanizing if someone who has a home, isn’t worried about their next meal, and hasn’t suffered a huge personal or financial loss chose to wear something that says “I am” instead of “I have a“? If this was the situation, instead, I’m pretty sure any articles written would have praised the entrepreneurial spirit of the endeavor.
@innovations: Journalists vs. Bloggers, Objectivity vs. Voice: picking the wrong battles
This was a really great panel. I’m glad I went. (Good recap, too.)
One of the SXSW talks I’d been looking forward to the most was Jay Rosen’s, NYU professor of journalism. Rosen, a fantastic writer and a slow, measured speaker, decided to recant an essay he wrote six years ago declaring the debate between journalism and bloggers dead and gone. The battle…
