"A Fundamental Shift in the way we Communicate"

Jordan Siler

js317307@ohio.edu

Social media has caused a revolution of mass proportions. As a active member of the social media, I rarely have to go out in search of news or the breaking headlines. Far too often I have learned of major events by logging onto Facebook and reading my friend's statuses. However, as a journalist, social media brings forth a new ethical dilemma, unlike ones we've seen before. And not only are we as journalist being affected. In this article by the Boston Globe, a teacher was fired from his position after friending students on Facebook. I know that in my high school, we had many teachers who were and still are friends with their students on Facebook. As professionals, were is the line drawn and how far can one go with social media before it crosses an ethical line?

I think it is important to maintain a presence on social media and to have that presence be professional. If one were to have two Facebook pages, like Cheryl Rossi from the assigned reading, I think it would eliminate the need to worry. Friends and family should be allowed to be inside your head. Professional colleges or even sources on the other hand, should be presented with the most professional face. It should also be disclosed that you have two Facebook's. In case anyone hasn't noticed, many professors are pushing the importance of social media in our journalism classes (running twitter feed anyone?). Journalism schools across the country have had to alter the way they teach their specific subject due to the rapidly changing technology and social media.

Social media seems inevitable in a career based on communications. The best thing you can do is keep the same ethics codes you use for print and reshape them to fit Facebook or twitter.