A presentation for undergraduate journalism students on using Twitter for research, as well as best practices for sourcing and verifying social content.

1. Jill
Hopke
@jillhopke
January
26,
2015
Sourcing
and
Verifying
Social
Content

2. A
major
weather
event
is
happening
in
NYC.
A
friend
who
lives
there
sends
you
a
photo
text.
Would
you?
• Share
on
Facebook
• Share
on
Instagram
• Text
back
for
more
info
• Run
through
Google
Image
Search
• Turn
on
cable
news
• Look
for
similar
images
on
TwiIer
• Something
else?
What
would
you
do?

3.
Source
Credibility
CiJzen
Journalism/
User-­‐Generated
Content
Concepts
for
Today
VerificaJon

4.
Social
Media
are
Changing
News

5. News
via
Social
Media
News
is
becoming
social
Source:
Pew
Research
Journalism
Project.
(2013).
The
Facebook
News
Experience.

6. Who
is
a
“journalist”?
“Miracle
on
the
Hudson”
January
15,
2009

7. JournalisTc
Norms
on
Social
Media
• ObligaTon
to
truth
• Loyalty
to
the
public
• VerificaTon
• Independence
• Forum
for
public
discourse
• InteresTng
and
relevant
• Comprehensive
• Exercise
of
personal
conscience
Adapted
from:
Kovach,
B.
&
RosensTel,
T.
(2007).
The
elements
of
journalism:
What
newspeople
should
know
and
what
the
public
should
expect.
New
York:
Three
Rivers
Press.

8.
Researching
on
TwiIer

9. Research
Tools
–
Trendsmap

10. Research
Tools
–
Topsy
Treat
social
media
content
as
Jps;
place
to
start
researching
a
story
#ICantBreathe,
December
2014

11. Research
Tools
–
Twiber
Advanced
Search
Treat
social
media
content
as
Jps;
place
to
start
researching
a
story

12.
Some
Challenges
to
Social
Media
Sourcing

13. Assessing
Source
Credibility
ü Does
user
have
a
clear
bio,
photo,
followers?
ü Assess
content
of
past
posts
ü Are
they
on-­‐the-­‐scene?
Will
they
speak
with
you
by
phone,
Skype?
ü Never
run
a
story
based
on
one
source;
consult
different
types
of
sources
(official,
etc.)

14. Importance
of
Intended
Audience
From
One-­‐to-­‐One
CommunicaJon
to
Internet
Meme
#AlexFromTarget

15. Importance
of
Intended
Audience
Public,
Advocacy
CommunicaJon
–
Consider
Online
Community
Norms
(e.g.
TwiIer
vs.
Facebook)

16. Social
Media
Can
Differ
from
Public
Opinion
TwiIer
vs.
Public
Opinion
on
Gun
Control
Pew
Research
Center,
December
2012

17. Best
PracTces
for
Sourcing
with
Social
Media
ü Get
permission
and
give
credit
ü Verify
through
mulTple
sources
ü Consider
online
community
norms
(public
vs.
private)
ü If
in
doubt,
don’t
include
ü Communicate
directly
with
sources
ü Link
to
original
content
ü Trust
is
key
ü Be
transparent

18. More
on
CommunicaTng
with
Sources
ü Have
a
professional
account
(e.g.
Twiber,
website)
ü Give
your
affiliaTon
and
a
clear
request
(e.g.
interview,
repost);
say
how
their
info
will
be
used
ü Share
contact
info
privately
(i.e.
direct
message)
ü State
your
Tmeframe/deadline
ü Report
back/share
finished
product
ü Follow-­‐up;
if
a
sources
says
no,
OK
to
check
back
as
circumstances
change
but
respect
privacy

19.
Verifying
InformaJon
in
a
(Social)
Digital
Age

20. The
Capacity
to
Spread
False
Info
Fast
“How
A
Fake
Storm
Photo
Goes
Viral”
BuzzFeed
October
29,
2012

21. One
step
ahead
of
Photoshopping
Highway
12
Nebraska
Supercell
Mike
Hollingshead
May
28,
2004

22. • Remember
the
“Who,
what,
when,
where,
why
and
how”
• Is
the
content
original?
• Check
source
locaTon,
date
and
Tmestamp
• Be
skepTcal;
use
third-­‐person
• Think
first
-­‐
If
in
doubt,
don’t
post/retweet
• Check
mulTple
sources/types
of
sources
• Photos:
Landmarks?
Weather
condiTons?
Get
permission,
idenTfy
people,
provide
context,
include
Tme/place
reference;
@menTon
source
VerificaTon
is
Key

23.
Applying
What
We’ve
Learned

24. • ObligaTon
to
truth
• Loyalty
to
the
public
• VerificaTon
• Independence
• Forum
for
public
discourse
• InteresTng
and
relevant
• Comprehensive
• Exercise
of
personal
conscience
Adapted
from:
Kovach,
B.
&
RosensTel,
T.
(2007).
The
elements
of
journalism:
What
newspeople
should
know
and
what
the
public
should
expect.
New
York:
Three
Rivers
Press.
AcTvity:
Returning
to
JournalisTc
Norms

25. QuesTons?
Thank
you!
Jill
Hopke
jillhopke@gmail.com
@jillhopke
Jillhopke.com