Many are pleased to see traditional news media replaced with independent new media. But independence can also come with a cost: no editors, no guidelines and no guardrails to ensure accuracy or ethical conduct. I’m increasingly disturbed by the growing cohort of self-styled journalists and news commentators who rake in massive audiences by peddling conspiracy theories, hoaxes and innuendo. This isn’t harmless entertainment. It corrodes public trust, fuels paranoia, and spreads a level of institutional hatred that can do lasting damage to society.