An Opening Update from Absolutely Neutral

Hi everyone. Matt here. Now that things are officially underway, I wanted to take a moment to highlight my goals for this publication in 2019.

The name Absolutely Neutral comes from the collision of two observations, both of which have emerged in the wake of rapid technological advancement. Firstly, as we have ceded more of ourselves to the web and social networks, our experiences are increasingly governed by algorithms, invisible hands owned by a handful of organizations that rank and control what we see in search results and on social networks. Second, as these digital networks have grown more integral to our daily lives, they have begun to strip money and power from institutions that once hold sway over public discourse, leaving them scrambling to reinvent themselves by catering to select audiences. The result is a political-media landscape awash with ostensibly objective information, but under the surface is steeped in biases.

These changes in how we communicate with our institutions, our leaders, and ourselves are already having a significant impact on Canadian politics. Yesterday, I published first entry on this publication, which you can read here. It outlines the structural forces that cleared the way for Justin Trudeau’s 2015 election victory — and how those same forces may leave him vulnerable in October.

I’m interested in your thoughts not just on this piece but on these bigger issues as well, so please don’t hesitate to write your own response, highlight sections, or leave any comments throughout the article. And if you enjoyed it, consider giving it a few claps (👏 👏 👏) or sharing it on your own Facebook or Twitter. You can follow Absolutely Neutral on Twitter here.

There’s more to come, so stay tuned. Thanks for your support.

-Matt