Of newspapers hiding what OTHER newspapers wrote

(Paywall-free popularization like this is what I do for a living. To support me, see the end of this post)

Serious question: is this good journalism practice?

Of newspapers hiding what OTHER newspapers wrote /img/2021-04-03-repubblica-covid-paywall.jpg 
<u><em><strong>CAPTION:</strong> 
<a href="https://lab.repubblica.it/2021/coronavirus/non-respirare-l-aria-degli-altri-come-evitare-il-contagio-in-spazi-chiusi/" target="_blank">How to avoid coronavirus indoor</a>

</em></u>

Thirteen months ago, when Italy’s lockdown had just started, I reported the disgusting practice of major italian media to “rightly denounce trolls who share dangerous fake news… while still keeping coronavirus information under paywalls”:

Of newspapers hiding what OTHER newspapers wrote /img/corriere-coronavirus-paywall.jpg 
Thank you, Corriere della Sera, for hiding COVID news behind a paywall

</em></u>

Thirteen months later, with fake news, conspiracy theories and general ignorance about how COVID-19 really works may be an even greater problem than in 2020, the practice continues:

Of newspapers hiding what OTHER newspapers wrote /img/2021-04-03-repubblica-covid-paywall-1.jpg 
<u><em><strong>CAPTION:</strong> 
<a href="https://lab.repubblica.it/2021/coronavirus/non-respirare-l-aria-degli-altri-come-evitare-il-contagio-in-spazi-chiusi/" target="_blank">Accesso riservato agli abbonati = Only subscribers can know</a>

</em></u>

But this time is even worst. The screenshot above shows how Repubblica, a major italian newspaper paywalls instructions on how to avoid COVID-19 contagion in closed spaces… that they did not even write. That article is just the translation of one by El Pais, that is FREELY readable by everyone. As it should, because this is vital, public service information.

Then again, why should I be surprised? After all, this is just one of the many levels at which COVID-19 reporting has gone wrong, and still is.

Who writes this, why, and how to help

I am Marco Fioretti, tech writer and aspiring polymath doing human-digital research and popularization.
I do it because YOUR civil rights and the quality of YOUR life depend every year more on how software is used AROUND you.

To this end, I have already shared more than a million words on this blog, without any paywall or user tracking, and am sharing the next million through a newsletter, also without any paywall.

The more direct support I get, the more I can continue to inform for free parents, teachers, decision makers, and everybody else who should know more stuff like this. You can support me with paid subscriptions to my newsletter, donations via PayPal (mfioretti@nexaima.net) or LiberaPay, or in any of the other ways listed here.THANKS for your support!

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