The Next Web
The BBC’s new “social media guidance” strictly requires a “second pair of eyes” to review any staff social media updates related to news reporting. The policy is far more relaxed when it comes to staffers using personal social media accounts for personal things. For those cases, it simply lists some “considerations,” which it summarizes as “don’t do anything stupid.” But the section about social media messages carried out “in the name of BBC News” includes this paragraph (caps and bold are from the original document):
The golden rule for our core news, programme or genre activity is that whatever is published – on Twitter, Facebook or anywhere else – MUST HAVE A SECOND PAIR OF EYES PRIOR TO PUBLICATION. A second check might well avoid you saying or linking to something unwise which could land you, or the BBC, in trouble. While there’s recognition that staffing levels can get in the way of this, especially small teams in overseas offices, every effort should nonetheless be made to ensure this practice is adhered to unless there are urgent live deadlines.
Comments