|
Movies •Books •Music •Food •Tv Shows •Technology •Politics •Video Games •Parenting •Fashion •Green Living •more >

Lunch » Tags » Newspapers » Reviews » News of The World » User review

News of The World
News of The World

A British tabloid headed by Rupert Murdoch

< read all 3 reviews

Tabloid Journalism Finally Has Something to Give to the World: A Lesson

  • Jul 10, 2011
  • by
Exclusive to the Lunch Network
Rating:
+3
News of the World ended its 168-year reign of tabloid terror with its last issue published on July 10, 2011. Its end brought on by allegations reporters that worked for the company for a few years up to 2006 hacked into voice mails of the royal family and British celebs as well as relatives of terrorist victims and fallen soldiers and the murdered teenager Milly Dowler, whose phone messages were deleted to make more space, giving her family false hope that she was alive. It was announced last Thursday that this Sunday's edition would be News of the World's last.

The paper ran a full-page editorial apologizing for the actions of their employees. “We praised high standards, we demanded high standards but, as we are now only too painfully aware, for a period of a few years up to 2006 some who worked for us, or in our name, fell shamefully short of those standards. Quite simply, we lost our way. Phones were hacked, and for that this newspaper is truly sorry".

Andy Coulson, who was editor of News of the World from 2003-2007, was arrested Friday over emails that allegedly say that he was involved in arranging cash payments to police officers for tip-offs during his editorship. This is the same time frame that the newspaper states employees were hacking into phone's voice mails to support their stories or to get more information.

It is easier than you may think to hack into cell phones, which in this day and age is where we share all of our personal information, including bank information, address, actual physical location with GPS, plans, etc. What are different ways to hack into your phone and how can you protect yourself from the News of the Worlders out there? I'm here to help.

Popular Hacks:
  1. Pretexting: This tactic involves calling a customer-service representative for a cell-phone company and impersonating someone to get details about that person's account. How? By making it look like they're calling from your cell phone number. It's an easy program to use. In many places, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, such practices are now prohibited. Once you have the pin number, you have full access to someone's phone and all the information they think they've securely saved there.  
  2. Fake apps: There are thousands of apps in app stores for all smart phones. Hackers create a fake app to trick you into sharing your personal information. As soon as you download the fake app into your phone, they have all the access they need.
  3. Fake links: Hackers include a link to a website and have you click on it, either with promises of winning a prize or the need for more information or any possible excuse that may work. You click on it and bam! They get all your information.

How to Protect Yourself:
  1. Set a pass code: it's easy and it's secure. Make sure that it needs to be entered to access any information on your phone.
  2. Tips for secure pass code: The common sense laws that you're taught to protect any of your electronics are the same for your smart phones or cell phones. Don't use your name or any name of a loved one. Don't use common words or ones that can be found in a dictionary. Don't use numbers or letters in sequential order (abcd or 1234). Don't use your birthday, anniversary date, or any other personal dates that are important to you. Don't use cities or sports teams.      
  3. If you use any variation of the following words, change it now (according to PCMag.com): "god," "money," "love," "monkey," "letmein," or "password."
  4. Four-digit pass codes: Repeat one number. It is far harder for a hacker to guess a non-existent fourth number or to check all the possible combinations than if you were to use four individual digits.
  5. Change it up as much as possible. Don't use the same password for all online accounts. This may get exhaustive but, there are places where you can store these passwords so that you can remember them all and yes, they're very secure. Like, say, a journal in your locked desk drawer.
  6. You need a caller ID for your voice mails. I think we can all agree on that one after this scandal. This is one more step that places an obstacle between you and the Caller ID Spoofer.
  7. Update. Update. Update. They're not just made for fun. After each security breach, Apple and Google update their security programs.
  8. Call Your Wireless Provider. Usually, there are some precautions that your provider takes before you can request personal information but, these are often easier to guess than your code. One quick call and you can set up what needs to be asked to access any kind of information for your phone. Set up a security question or a process that will ensure your security.
  9. Lock up your phone. When you're not using it, set your phone to lock so that you have to enter your pass code to open it.
  10. Use Common Sense.  When you're downloading apps to your phone, be aware of apps that ask for access to unrelated information. If you're downloading a game, there's no need for you to share your email address with the company. Read all permissions and ensure that you are not allowing third party developers to have access to your Facebook, Twitter, email, etc accounts where they can access it when you're not online, post things in your name on your account, or use your contact list. Don't click on links unless you are absolutely positive that someone you know has sent it and I mean, a phone call where they ask- hey did you get the recipe I shared from allrecipes.com?

With these tips, you'll be protected from anybody trying to get your information or to listen into that 10 minute voice mail where you vent about how much you hate your job or share any type of personal information. There is always good that comes with the bad, a lesson to be learned. The lesson to learn from the News of the World scandal is to protect yourself as much as possible online. The other lesson? Everyone's being held accountable for their actions nowadays and it's easier than ever to track your every word and action. So, be careful what you put out there because it may come back to bite you!

What did you think of this review?

Helpful
31
Thought-Provoking
33
Fun to Read
30
Well-Organized
32
Post a Comment
July 27, 2011
I learned something new today! I had no idea about this story...Pretty scary they'd go to those measures to get a story!
July 27, 2011
It's craziness, so make sure your phone is secure! You never know who's going to be snooping on you ;p
July 27, 2011
my phone actually just got shut off :( but i when i get a new one...i'll be more careful bc that's insane. i totally was paranoid when i had a smartphone and would check my bank accounts, now i'll be even more worried! gotta be safe!
July 27, 2011
Oh nooooo....I'm sorry it got shut off! But, yes, whenever it gets turned back on, make sure to take special precautions to protect yourself. I have my info on there too and it's just nice to make sure you are protected.
 
July 12, 2011
Wonderful and informative write up Sam --
July 12, 2011
Thanks Brenda :)
 
July 12, 2011
I'm far more worried about the consolidation of news media outlets under a few corporate or individual barons, eager to increase their wealth and political power, and who seem to think that the responsibilities of the news are no more than quaint and outdated values. Murdoch's gossip-and-boobs approach to the news is simply driving "news" to be whatever sells. That's been happening over here, in the latest cycle, for more than a generation. Among Murdoch's many, many news outlets that he controls or owns is The London Times, not so long ago staid, boring comprehensive and a heavyweight. Under Murdoch there are no boobs on page 3 yet, but the Times is now definitely lightweight. ---Quickly now, who owns ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC? Who owns the top ten aggregations of local radio outlets and local newspapers in the U.S.? And who cares? Probably the last of the great newspapers that still has a vision of responsibility to the news is the New York Times. Certainly none of the broadcast companies. And look what Sam Zell did to the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times. ---We do need to be suspicious of wiretapping. For me, that means primarily don't trust the government to be aboveboard; it will do far more damage to individuals and to national security than even Mobil. ---For News of the World, I've always enjoyed, in a sick sort of way, overturning a rock and watching the wet, oozing slugs try to avoid the light. For most of the men and women who worked on the paper, as lousy a paper as it was, I assume they're out of jobs. I feel sorry for them.
July 12, 2011
Great comments, Charley! You make a lot of valid points here and I think the loss of jobs is the only thing that I'm sorry for in this circumstance.
 
July 12, 2011
"...this newspaper is truly sorry"?
Oh, it's sorry alright, not in terms of being apologetic but in terms of being pathetic. By whose incompetent standards does this even come close to qualifying as a newspaper?! I know ten year olds with mental disabilities who could easily report current events with more accuracy and integrity than these guys.
July 12, 2011
Yeah, I think they're truly sorry for getting caught and having to lose out on all that money they were making. There's no way that anyone would ever mistaken this paper as a newspaper- it's like the National Enquirer attempting to cover the White House.
 
July 12, 2011
Excellent stuff. I'm shocked that NoTW is gone - now we just have to convince the Brits to take down the rest of crap that News Corp produces (The Sun, anyone?). Unfortunately though I think this closure was more cost-driven than ethics-inspired.
July 12, 2011
Yeah, I agree. It's a nice cover to have this scandal and pretend it's ethics, though.
 
July 11, 2011
Was this the one with batboy?
 
July 11, 2011
That is scary and so ethical. Glad to see that they're shuttering their doors. Thanks for all these tips!
July 11, 2011
Thanks for the read! Yeah, I'm glad too, one less tabloid out there. F tells me US Weekly is a tabloid but, I tell him it's TOTALLY different- that's more for curiosity and no one takes it as news. News was in this one's title, along with World LOL!
 
July 11, 2011
Good work
July 11, 2011
Thanks!
 
July 11, 2011
Very informative review, Sam!
July 11, 2011
Thanks Adri :)
July 12, 2011
Welcome. :)
 
July 10, 2011
Stories like this only amplify why we should not have a Patriot Act.
July 11, 2011
This can definitely be an addition to that arguement!
 
1 2 Next
More News of The World reviews
Quick Tip by . July 09, 2011
posted in City Lifestyle
Caption
We have two final launches this week, the Atlantis & News of The World's!   So, the tabloid finally has scandals of its own for other news media to report about! What an ironic ending!
Quick Tip by . July 12, 2011
Every time a Murdoch paper dies, an entire forest gets it wings. Taking the train to work in London every day, I saw countless scores engrossed in News of the World and The Sun, the reading equivalent of a Big Mac. They lack of the class of the equivalents over here (NY Post classic headline: "Ike Beats Tina to Death") and somehow are regarded far too seriously. One down, only a dozen to go!
see all News of The World reviews (3)
About the reviewer
Samantha ()
Ranked #17
I'm a human jukebox that is constantly changing my station depending on my mood!   Feel free to share your passion with me in my communities: Pass the Remote!, Hip Hop Culture, Wedding Planning … more
Consider the Source

Use Trust Points to see how much you can rely on this review.

You
djevoke
Your ratings:
Reading
Reading
The New York Times
Mashable
Mashable
Board Games
Board Games
rate more to improve this
Recent reviews by djevoke
'Cloud Atlas' a brilliant scifi fantasy love story spanning 500 years
Hey There! Remember Me?
a review of Cloud Atlas (2012 film)
Don Cornelius
Peace, Love and Soul
a review of Don Cornelius
American Airlines
American Airlines Could Learn a Thing or Two or Three.... …
a review of American Airlines
see more reviews
About this topic

Wiki

The News of the World is a national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1843, the paper is scheduled to cease publication following the 10 July 2011 edition in the wake of a phone hacking scandal.[2]

The newspaper is published by News Group Newspapers of News International, itself a subsidiary of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, and is the Sunday sister paper of The Sun. The newspaper concentrates on celebrity-based scoops and populist news. The paper's fondness for sex scandals gained it the nicknames "News of the Screws" and "Screws of the World". It had a reputation for exposing celebrities as drug users or criminals, setting up insiders and journalists in disguise to provide either video or photographic evidence, and phone hacking in ongoing police investigations. Sales averaged 2,812,005 copies per week in October 2010.[3] On 16 September 2010, it was announced that the online website of the paper would be placed behind a paywall.[4]

The editor Andy Coulson resigned on 26 January 2007 over the royal phone tapping scandal.[5] He was succeeded by Colin Myler, a former editor of theSunday Mirror who had latterly worked at the New York Post. Previous editors of the paper include Piers Morgan and Rebekah Wade, who replaced Phil Hall in 2000. On 7 July 2011, News International announced that ...

view wiki

Tags

Cafe Libri, News, Entertainment, Newspapers, Medias
see all

Details

Add Details
First to Review

"Tabloid Journalism Finally Has Something to Give to the World: A Lesson"
© 2013 Lunch.com, LLC All Rights Reserved
Lunch.com - Relevant reviews by real people.
()
This is you!
Ranked #
Last login
Member since
reviews
comments
ratings
questions
compliments
lists