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GUEST EDITOR’S LETTER NANJALA NYABOLA. for the New Internationalist Co-operative newint.org COVER ARTWORK: Le.BLUE AGE OF DOUBT Information is the raw material for society. It is information that turns us from individuals operating in isolation into communities. Information is the substrate on which our ideas grow. The space in which this raw material exists is the information ecosystem. Authoritarians know this. That’s why they spend so much time and energy trying to control the media and our ability to connect with each other. The more we know the less likely we are to tolerate tyranny. Yet it ’s only now that the world seems to have woken up to the damage being done to democracy by the way our information ecosystems are increasingly shaped by a desire to make money instead of the desire to connect. Think about it – where do you get most of your news? Instead of investing in quality news we are being shuffled towards social media and platforms where our view of the world is shaped by proprietary algorithms. It ’s true that the language to describe what we are witnessing is not in itself new. But today, concepts like misinformation are no longer niche words used by experts. Ordinary people are well aware of these threats, and counteracting them has become an imperative for any engaged citizen. Even so, our responses are stilted by limited understandings of just how important information is to democracy, and how information exists within an ecosystem rather than in isolation. In this edition, we explore what we mean by the information ecosystem and, what can be done to protect its integrity. Elsewhere, Sophie Neiman reports from the war-torn DRC, and Huw Paige examines the rising geopolitical tensions putting Antarctica at risk. THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS INCLUDE: Manu Moudgil is a journalist and media trainer in India. He writes on social justice, environment and governance. Huw Paige is a freelance journalist and writer, specializing in the polar regions. He is based in South Devon, UK. Samira Sawlani is a freelance journalist, writer and political analyst. her work focuses upon the African continent, particularly East Africa. Don Kevin Hapal is the Data and Innovation Director for Rappler in the Philippines, investigating technology, disinformation and propaganda. He works with a team of specialists doing information ecosystem research and data journalism. THE NEW INTERNATIONALIST multistakeholder co-operative exists to report on the issues of world poverty and inequality; to focus attention on the unjust relationship between the powerful and powerless worldwide; to debate and campaign for the radical changes necessary to meet the basic needs of all; and to bring to life the people, the ideas and the action in the fight for global justice. The New Internationalist magazine was founded by Peter and Lesley Adamson in 1970. Together with a range of other publications it is published by New Internationalist Publications Ltd which is wholly owned by the New Internationalist Co-operative Ltd and its co-owners. Advertising: Michael York Design: Luciane Pisani Co-editors: Amy Hall, Conrad Landin, Nick Dowson, Bethany Rielly Digital editor: Maxine Betteridge-Moes Editorial assistant: Paula Lacey Contributing editors: Vanessa Baird, Chris Brazier, Jamie Kelsey-Fry, Dinyar Godrej, Zoe Holman Funding and engagement: Laura Veitch Ethical Shop: Emma Blunt, Fran Harvey, James Rowland, Bev Dawes Marketing (Magazine): Rob Norman Production: Fran Harvey Subscriptions and administration: Louise Waters Web and IT: Charlie Harvey SUBSCRIPTIONS Website: subscribe.newint.org Email: subscriptions@newint.org Phone: +44 (0) 20 3868 4646 Phone (from Ireland): CallSave 1850 924 331 Phone US Toll free: +1 888-646-0568 Post: New Internationalist, The Old Music Hall , 106 -108 Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 1JE, UK. SUBSCRIPTION PRICES Save on the cover price by subscribing. For the subscription rate in your region please visit subscribe.newint.org UK OFFICE New Internationalist, The Old Music Hall, 106-108 Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1JE. Te l: +44 (0)1865 403345 Email: ni@newint.org ADVERTISING (MAGAZINE & WEB) Michael York +44 (0)1865 403339 michaely@newint.org Contract enquiries: ni_cg@newint.org Web queries: tech@newint.org Permissions & general enquiries: +44 (0)1865 403345 office.manager@newint.org All monetary values are expressed in US dollars unless otherwise noted. NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2024 UK NEWS TRADE DISTRIBUTOR Intermedia Brand Marketing Ltd, Unit 6, The Enterprise Centre, Kelvin Lane, Manor Royal, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 9PE. Tel: +44 (0)1293 312001 Indexing: Indexed in the Canadian Periodical Index Quarterly (CPI.Q), Canadian Business and Current Affairs and the Alternative Press Index. Available in full-text electronic format from EBSCO and Proquest. The New Internationalist is published bimonthly. 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