Just Because It's on Twitter, Doesn't Mean It's True

Makenzie Piatt

mp689012@ohio.edu

Because of social media, news is beginning to be driven by click views rather than by content. The race to produce the story first seems more important than whether or not the facts are correct. Publish first then correct if necessary seems to be the order of the day. According to a social media study conducted by ING, they proved the different ways social media has revolutionized the media landscape in PR and journalism. One third of journalists say social media posts are not a reliable source of information even though most journalists’ main source of information comes from social media. So how do we as journalists determine the true and newsworthy facts on social media? RTDNA created a social media and blogging guideline for journalists that should be followed when covering important news stories and how to keep a professional profile on social media. RTDNA created three main ethical guidelines that should be followed by journalists when using social media.

Truth and Fairness:

Information posted online needs to be confirmed and verified just as a regular news story would. Sources need to be determined and facts need to be checked. In an article on CNN written by Pete Cashmore, he wrote about the many times news outlets fought to be first to distribute a story, yet did not check their facts before publishing. One of the most memorable mistakes was when stories spread on twitter about the death of Joe Paterno, while he was still alive. Social media can spread stories like wildfire, whether they are true or false. It is a journalist’s job to always pay attention to the stories being told and to make sure they are true.

Accountability and Transparency:

In a video by Fox Business on understanding the power of social media, Chris Dessi said, “There is no barrier to entry. I can talk about whatever I want, no filter.” While this is true, journalists need to be aware of the consequences of their actions, and know they hold accountability for whatever is published on their profile. Many people under the public eye have received scrutiny for sharing their biased opinions on twitter, and saying a little more than they should have. In an article written by the Business Insider, they created a list of 13 people with different occupations who were fired because of what they posted on twitter. While it is important for journalists to hold accountability and show no biased toward stories, everyone with a career should learn to be transparent and have professional social media profiles.

Image and Reputation:
Creating controversy on social media is not only unprofessional, but can also damage a person’s image and reputation. Journalists need to have the reputation of being trustworthy individuals because the public looks to journalists and news outlets for reliable stories with guaranteed factual information. Any journalist who makes a mistake of publishing a false story risks permanently damaging their image. It is important to remember that whatever is posted on the Internet is open to the public eye, and one biased tweet has the potential to ruin a reputation and career.