By Ellyn Angelotti
Interactivity Editor and Adjunct Faculty
The My Space page and pictures of the woman believed to be the woman involved with Gov. Eliot Spitzer were plastered all over the Internet last week. This has many journalists puzzled about how to best use such online networks, as MySpace and Facebook. I see these online networks as valuable resources for journalists that require much discretion when used.
During the Virginia Tech shooting coverage, journalists began using Facebook as a reporting tool — one of the first times it was widely used by mainstream media. Now more journalists are thinking critically about how these online networks are used in journalism.
Sixty-four million users have created profiles on Facebook and one-hundred and six million have done the same on MySpace. Journalists would be missing out if they didn’t use these communities to find information or leads to sources. However, there are a few steps between finding a quote on someone’s wall and publishing that quote in a story.
Here are some questions to consider when using online networks in your reporting:
How legit is the profile page?
About a month ago, I Facebook-befriended one of my storytelling idols, Ira Glass, the host of This American Life. With my request I wrote a long message sharing how much I appreciate his work and the opportunity to network with him.
I was glowing when he accepted my friendship. It granted me access to his personal page. Then my bubble burst when I saw this:
It wasn’t really Ira. But, at least they are honest about it.
How can I be sure I’m communicating with the person I think I’m communicating with?
Not everyone who creates a Facebook profile for someone else is going to be as transparent as the Web manager for This American Life.
You can pursue the question by sending a Facebook message to the person. Better yet, if they’ve posted their e-mail or phone number, contact them that way. Identify yourself. Tell them what you want to use or what you want to know. Ask them to call you, or ask for a phone number where you can reach them.
Once you’ve verified someone’s identity, what privacy issues should be considered?
Online network users need to understand that, unless they set their preferences otherwise, their profile will be broadcasted publicly. But many users don’t. By default, user profiles on Facebook and MySpace are public. Both online networks have privacy settings that users may or may not be aware of. I can choose who sees my personal information, (only my friends, my network, everyone in the world) but most people don’t take the time to do so. Nor do they understand the consequences of sharing too much information. Users can also deactivate their account if they don’t want anyone to find it.
Even when you do find a user who has juicy information on their profile page, consider the harm in posting this information. It someone’s public space, yet it can still be personal and sensitive. (See Bob Steele’s Guiding Principles for Ethical Decisions)
Be cautious of “friends”
Among my Facebook friends are people I’ve known for years, contacts I may know superficially and famous people, like Glass, whom I don’t know. I have my privacy settings locked up fairly tightly so only my friends can see my page. But still, all 770 of them have access to my profile.
If someone sends me photos or information from a “friend’s” Facebook page, I’m a little suspicious as a journalist. What’s this person’s purpose in alerting me to their “friend’s” profile? What’s their motivation?
These are just a few tips to consider as journalists try to figure out what exactly their relationship might be with online networks. As new tools and technologies become available, the questions may change, but the steadfast principles of ethical journalism still apply.
Check back on our Poynterevolution blog later this week for an analysis of how news organizations are using Facebook.
What questions do you have about using online networks in journalism?
