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<DIV>Mapping refugee media journeys: smartphones and social media networks</DIV>
<DIV>Open University & France Médias Monde, 2016, 103 p.</DIV>
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<DIV><A href="http://www.open.ac.uk/ccig/sites/www.open.ac.uk.ccig/files/Mapping%20Refugee%20Media%20Journeys%2016%20May%20FIN%20MG_0.pdf">http://www.open.ac.uk/ccig/sites/www.open.ac.uk.ccig/files/Mapping%20Refugee%20Media%20Journeys%2016%20May%20FIN%20MG_0.pdf</A></DIV>
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<DIV>From the summary of findings (p.5):</DIV>
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<DIV>"Smartphones and digital connectivity are essential for refugees seeking protection and safety in Europe, but they also carry risks for them. This research identified a huge gap in the provision of relevant, reliable and timely digital news and information for refugees on their journeys and upon arrival in Europe. There is a growing number of digital resources designed for refugees. Most are inadequately resourced and unsustainable. They can do more harm than good if they disseminate misinformation. Quick ‘tech fixes’ do not work. Governments and newsrooms in Europe are failing to provide what refugees need, because they fear that they may be seen to be facilitating attempts to seek asylum in Europe. This is forcing refugees to rely on alternative, often unverified and unreliable sources of news and information circulated on social media, particularly by smugglers and handlers. This is endangering them and exacerbating an already dire situation."</DIV>
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<DIV>See also the BBC coverage <A href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03v0lb8">http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03v0lb8</A> and the article in "The Conversation" <A href="https://theconversation.com/phones-crucial-to-survival-for-refugees-on-the-perilous-route-to-europe-59428">https://theconversation.com/phones-crucial-to-survival-for-refugees-on-the-perilous-route-to-europe-59428</A>.</DIV>
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<DIV>Contact: Marie Gillespie│Professor of Sociology│Co-Director, Centre for Research on Socio-Cultural Change www.cresc.ac.uk|The Open University│Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA</DIV></BODY></HTML>