Brands and the Pandemic: A Cautionary Tale

This essay examines the troubling logic of digital media ecosystems, which devalue socially relevant information to maintain brand reputation. At a time when the value of news to provide essential and reliable information is made dramatically apparent, advertising technologies privilege the safety o...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Melissa Aronczyk
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2020-08-01
Series:Social Media + Society
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305120948236
Description
Summary:This essay examines the troubling logic of digital media ecosystems, which devalue socially relevant information to maintain brand reputation. At a time when the value of news to provide essential and reliable information is made dramatically apparent, advertising technologies privilege the safety of brands over the safety of individuals. The essay reviews the logic of current digital advertising infrastructure, focusing on the impact of automated technologies on the decline of professional journalism.
ISSN:2056-3051