There's been a bit of a hubbub in the past 24 hours over a bunch of recent rumors regarding the next Nexus device, and features in the next major update to Android. By now, you've also probably read that many of these "rumors" -- which, by the way, is a fun word for "Made-up " that people like to use to have some sense of deniability ("Hey, they're only 'rumors'!") -- simply were not true, that they were perpetuated by a "hoaxter" and that, hey, they were only rumors.
My thoughts:
I'm writing this in our forums for a few reasons. One is that *this* is where we at Android Central generally discuss rumors. On rare occasions we give a "rumor" play on the front page of the blog. You'll note in this case that the only time we paid lip service to this latest round is when I was saying how ridiculous they were. And so I'm not giving their demise the full weight of Android Central now, either with a full blog post, or a spot in my Sunday column, where I get to write pretty much whatever I want.
Another reason is to not pile on. Android and Me issued a retraction, for whatever that's worth. Frankly, it's insulting to me as a reader of tech news, and even more so as the editor of a site that writes about Android. Spreading invented rumors is bad enough -- and I'll be the first to raise a glass to a colleague who gets burned. It happens. But it also appears that relationships with the "source" were embellished. And that, to me, is beyond the paie.
But, hey. They're just "rumors." And so long as everyone knows they're only "rumors," it's OK to print whatever you want, right?
Not in the slightest. Readers should demand more of their favorite writers and editors. (And perhaps folks need to look up "evidence" and "proof" for a more precise definition.)
Android Police, one of several sites that repeated the Android and Me rumors (and one that I think usually does some pretty good work), did an interesting post-mortem, calling it an "excellent rumor mill case study" and that "chasing rumors is entertainment." That's a slightly better way to look at it, I suppose, though I don't see the fun in spreading potentially incorrect information. This job is tough enough to get right under the best of circumstances. Maybe I'm just older and my definition of "fun" is different.
Not once did I see an apology from anyone. Is this really all people expect? "Whoopsie, that was way wrong, our bad." There's an old saying in journalism that "readers don't keep clips." That's true. But that doesn't mean I forget. And I have a long memory.
Here's how to beat the rumor mill. I'll let everyone in on the secret: Don't play the game. Deal with fact. Build trust with your audience, and don't play fast and loose with it. Of all the factors that went into making Android Central the biggest and best Android-specific blog in the world, that's the most important one. Timing was certainly another. Hiring folks like Jerry and Alex is another -- and everyone else with a byline here.
I like that we have this rumor section of our forums to discuss things. It's a more controlled environment. And if anyone wanders in here, they're not going to mistake fact for fiction. (Or at least they shouldn't -- read this sticky.) And we've broken some pretty big stories in this space, without having to put unconfirmed information on the blog. I like that, too.
I'm pretty disappointed that some of our comrades in the Android space were fooled by all this. (And I'm elated that these "hoaxters" don't even bother trying to sell us such .) I like most of the people we compete with. We have beers sometimes. That any of us is able to do this for a living still astounds me. But what happened over the past week or so, culminating in retractions and "case studies" isn't good for anyone. It simply should not have happened. And it makes my job harder. Or, I dunno. Maybe it makes it easier. We'll see.
I'm going back to work now. Actually, I'm on a plane on my way to San Diego, for another wireless trade show. Because, for me, that's where real work is -- covering events, and writing about devices that actually exist. And that's the way it'll continue around here.
My thoughts:
I'm writing this in our forums for a few reasons. One is that *this* is where we at Android Central generally discuss rumors. On rare occasions we give a "rumor" play on the front page of the blog. You'll note in this case that the only time we paid lip service to this latest round is when I was saying how ridiculous they were. And so I'm not giving their demise the full weight of Android Central now, either with a full blog post, or a spot in my Sunday column, where I get to write pretty much whatever I want.
Another reason is to not pile on. Android and Me issued a retraction, for whatever that's worth. Frankly, it's insulting to me as a reader of tech news, and even more so as the editor of a site that writes about Android. Spreading invented rumors is bad enough -- and I'll be the first to raise a glass to a colleague who gets burned. It happens. But it also appears that relationships with the "source" were embellished. And that, to me, is beyond the paie.
But, hey. They're just "rumors." And so long as everyone knows they're only "rumors," it's OK to print whatever you want, right?
Not in the slightest. Readers should demand more of their favorite writers and editors. (And perhaps folks need to look up "evidence" and "proof" for a more precise definition.)
Android Police, one of several sites that repeated the Android and Me rumors (and one that I think usually does some pretty good work), did an interesting post-mortem, calling it an "excellent rumor mill case study" and that "chasing rumors is entertainment." That's a slightly better way to look at it, I suppose, though I don't see the fun in spreading potentially incorrect information. This job is tough enough to get right under the best of circumstances. Maybe I'm just older and my definition of "fun" is different.
Not once did I see an apology from anyone. Is this really all people expect? "Whoopsie, that was way wrong, our bad." There's an old saying in journalism that "readers don't keep clips." That's true. But that doesn't mean I forget. And I have a long memory.
Here's how to beat the rumor mill. I'll let everyone in on the secret: Don't play the game. Deal with fact. Build trust with your audience, and don't play fast and loose with it. Of all the factors that went into making Android Central the biggest and best Android-specific blog in the world, that's the most important one. Timing was certainly another. Hiring folks like Jerry and Alex is another -- and everyone else with a byline here.
I like that we have this rumor section of our forums to discuss things. It's a more controlled environment. And if anyone wanders in here, they're not going to mistake fact for fiction. (Or at least they shouldn't -- read this sticky.) And we've broken some pretty big stories in this space, without having to put unconfirmed information on the blog. I like that, too.
I'm pretty disappointed that some of our comrades in the Android space were fooled by all this. (And I'm elated that these "hoaxters" don't even bother trying to sell us such .) I like most of the people we compete with. We have beers sometimes. That any of us is able to do this for a living still astounds me. But what happened over the past week or so, culminating in retractions and "case studies" isn't good for anyone. It simply should not have happened. And it makes my job harder. Or, I dunno. Maybe it makes it easier. We'll see.
I'm going back to work now. Actually, I'm on a plane on my way to San Diego, for another wireless trade show. Because, for me, that's where real work is -- covering events, and writing about devices that actually exist. And that's the way it'll continue around here.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram