Vonage's 911 service and journalistic responsibility
Texas is suing Vonage, the internet-based phone company, saying the company doesn't make clear that its 911 service is a separate offering:
Abbott said information about the type of emergency service Vonage offers is found only in the fine print on the Web site.
But Vonage disputes that:
Vonage spokeswoman Brooke Schulz said customers are informed of the separate activation on two pages on the Internet registration form. She also said that e-mail notifications are sent to customers who fail to activate the emergency service.
At this point, Laurence Simon asks a great question:
Why didn't the Associated Press reporter just roll up their sleeves, sign up for the service, and post a few screen shots? I hear that there's a "Print Screen" key on the keyboard for that kind of thing.
[snip]
Where's the curiosity? Where's the thirst for knowledge? Doesn't the reporter want to know one way or the other which is right? Especially when you consider that SOMEONE COULD DIE if it's done wrong?
He goes on a fine tear, and it's well worth reading.
This apparent lack of curiosity within the ranks of professional journalists today is strange. After all, journalists like to tell us THEY are the professionals. THIS is what they are trained to do.
Of course, what we have seen lately, in some instances, is bloggers filling this role -- getting curious, digging deeper -- and providing more details than professional journalists seem to be interested in providing.
RELATED: Vonage VoIP and personal responsibility (blogHOUSTON)
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 03/22/05 08:08 PM | Print |
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