Ethics of Social Media Practice by John Idumange

John Idumange

Social update on naija365blog.com
A social media pratitioner is assumed to be a citizen's journalist.  The practitioner is bound by the ethics of the journalism profession in addition to avoiding some cyber-offensive publications, including images that are manipulated.

In the main, a social media practitioners should adhere to the following:
1. Objectivity: State the facts as you see them without taking sides or tilting your report to favour any intetest.

2. Strategy: You should have the capacity to investigate before publishing a story. Strategy answers the question: how do I arrive at the facts?

3. Ethics of reporting: Do not report offensive materials such as pornography or manipulated images.  The popularization of photoshop makes people publish human being like animals, snakes etc. Such publications can be litigated upon.

4. Genuineness: So many people use animals to represent them as a profile picture.  Facebook for instance means put your face to your profile. Animals and other inanimate objects do not use a human face. So all those not using their true identities are faceless. All those people not using their faces should take note. They are in breach of social media ethics.

5. Publishing unconfirmed Reports: This is also called rumour. Every story must have a source.  When you hear a story, ask the following questions: Who told you? Where did it happen and when? What really happened and how? A story where these simple questions cannot be answered is not newsworthy.  Some people mistake rumour with propaganda. Propaganda is when there is an element of truth and the story is blown out of proportion.  There was fire outbreak and two shops are burnt. A propagandists will say the entire market has been razed and 50 people died. Do not publish unconfirmed stories because you may be sued for libel.

6. Anonymity: Mainstream media does not accept anonymity,  so why should social media accept it? If used, anonymous sources should be used sparingly. Anonymous sources may be used in security and very sensitive matters.

7. Truth and Fairness. Your report should be truthful and fair to all interests. For example if you are reporting that salaries have not been paid also report why government says there is a delay. A one sided report frustrates the very essence of fair journalism.

8. Accountability and Transparency: Humans are prone to errors. If there is an error in your report,  apologies and do a correction. Arguments should be logical because the era of DIGITAL DARWINISM-(he who makes the loudest noise with more positive comments is right), is over. That is why in the court of law you can hire the services of 10 senior advocates and a pupil lawyer can win the case because the pupil lawyer has facts. Back up your argument with authentic facts not hearsay evidence.  Heresay evidence is very difficult to prove.

to be contd.
Written by John Idumange