Power To The People

Power to the people -- the primary purpose of democracy. Power to the people -- a slogan for civil rights movements all over the world. Thus, media journalism was introduced to provide citizens with the information they need to make the best decisions regarding their lives, communities, and government.

However, the power of media has created a prominence of fake news. For example, Nazi propaganda spread fake news to build anti-Semitic fervor. Fake news catalyzed the Enlightenment, where the Catholic Church’s false explanation of the 1755 Lisbon Earthquake prompted Voltaire to speak out against religious dominance. And, in the 1800s, racist media sentiments led to the publication of fake news stories about African Americans’ supposed deficiencies and crimes in the United States; this particular topic of fake news has continued to present day.

Following the Trump era, newsrooms have been pressured to put click ratings and money above the truth. Fake news runs rampant, and people simply have nowhere to turn. Without the proper information, the power is not in the hands of the people and our great American democracy is at risk.

An Ovis survey conducted by PureSpectrum Insights reveals that 74.1% of people are concerned about the spread of fake news. When asked which characteristics of a new media business model would render confidence and trustworthiness, the most common answer was “a business model that focuses on rewarding subscribing members rather than shareholders.” Shortly behind, is “the power to determine what stories are covered being in the hands of the subscribing membership instead of a select group of editors” (Survey Analytics). The clear emphasis on subscribing members over central management represents a public desire for power to be returned to the people.

Ovis is a platform in which everyone can directly participate in the news that is published and consumed. They can be assured that all content on the Ovis site is thoroughly fact checked. This assurance is backed by revolutionary blockchain technology. Ovis aims to restore the fundamental function of media and protect the public from the dangers of fake news and misinformation by putting power in the hands of each and every community member.