Readers' Letters: Trusted news is needed more than ever in a digital age

Readers’ Letters is a free weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

The following letter was sent in response to our newsletter (which you can sign up to here) where we pointed out that false news of an anti-immigration protest in Harrogate had been circulating on social media.

Dear editor, I was very taken by the words "awash with false news" in your opening remarks today. I was then deeply shocked by your second line. Not being an assiduous user of social media platforms I confess to having had absolutely no idea about the two named individuals and their plans ( I cannot bring myself to name them) and their attempts to incite such a horrendous prospect on the Stray. The Stray! Almost a sacred space for all Harrogatonians.

If nothing else today, I would wish to thank the Stray Ferret for bringing it to my attention. But now more important than that, to thank the staff for their assiduous efforts, and the platform as a whole, to ensure that this digital platform is trusted to avoid "false news" at all costs. Trusted information sources have been vital in our history before (think D Day etc). In this digital age arguably more important than ever. 

Dennis Richards OBE, Harrogate

Harrogate needs a good clean up

The following comments were left under our article about North Yorkshire’s transport chief responding to a recent poll on the Harrogate Station Gateway scheme.

Harrogate would benefit more if it had some decent high street shops, a good clean up and remove the non working alcoholics from near McDonald’s rather than a fancy new so called gateway that nobody is interested in.

Paul Wilson

The perfect example of a politician saying a lot but meaning absolutely nothing.

Paul Reynolds

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

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