You won't believe what degrading practice the pope just condemned

Summary

The pope has condemned clickbait as a “degrading” part of journalism, at a private audience with global newswires.Australian media representatives were among those to hear directly from Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Thursday with about 150 members of newswire alliance Minds International.In the first six months of his papacy, Pope Leo has been a proactive supporter of journalism as “a public good that we all should protect”.“Communication must be freed from the misguided thinking that corrupts it, from unfair competition and the degrading practice of so-called clickbait,” he said on Thursday.Clickbait is a form of sensationalist, hyperbolic headline that entices online readers to click into a story by omitting key information.Reading a speech in Italian, the pope also highlighted the work of journalists reporting from the frontline in Gaza and across Ukraine.“Free access to information is a pillar that upholds the edifice of our societies, and for this reason, we are called to defend and guarantee it,” he said.“Current events call for particular discernment and responsibility, and it is clear that the media has a crucial role in forming consciences and helping critical thinking”.The pope also spoke about the challenges facing news media with the rise of AI.“Artificial intelligence is changing the way we receive information and communicate, but who directs it and for what purposes? We must be vigilant in order to ensure that technology does not replace human beings, and that the information and algorithms that govern it today are not in the hands of a few,” he said.He nominated “transparency of sources of ownership, accountability, quality and objectivity” as key to news media.“I urge you: never sell out your authority,” he said.The pope cast a light specifically on the work of newswire reporters.“One form of active citizenship is to value and support ... agencies that demonstrate seriousness and true freedom in their work ... a virtuous circle that benefits society...