Social media policy, a necessary evil
Chakalisa Dube | Friday August 7, 2015 15:37
Worriedly, some elements within the media fraternity have been found wanting in the manner in which they use the social media space to communicate their opinions on a plethora of issues.
This has prompted unavoidable debate that the social media policy is a necessary evil to regulate or guide media workers on how to debate issues in the public domain through the social media.
There is another school of thought that the regulation regime envisaged whilst it’s appreciated, it should not infringe on the rights of media workers by polluting the very social media space they ply their trade in.
There is no denying that the social media policy is a necessary evil but the caution is that those charged with the responsibility of drafting policies should not be overzealous and unnecessarily render the social media space a no go area for media practitioners.
It is common knowledge that newspapers both locally and abroad have been struggling in a bid to stay afloat following significant losses perpetuated by the new media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and others. Other newspapers, radio and television stations abroad have reportedly even folded as a result of the presence of the new media.
The social media has also meant that everyone has the liberty to express his or her opinion more easily. Or simply put, everyone is trying to be a reporter one way or the other and tell his/her story just anyhow and anytime.
However, there has been a worrying trend lately among print journalists as some use the social media inappropriately or haphazardly which can be harmful and has in fact, led to instances of defamation as a result.
Instead of fostering debates on their news stories with their peers in the newsrooms or across the newsrooms some journalists have often resorted to posting their opinions that show an element of bias towards a particular source or subject in the social media. Usually journalists not newspapers directly own these social media platforms, which are often used to launch revenge against others.
However, journalists also do not put a disclaimer separating their personal opinions from their employer organisations’ viewpoint.
In fact, the country’s political parties have always complained of what they term careless use of various social media platforms by journalists.
Some political parties have suggested that comments though offered directly from journalists’ social media accounts might influence them (reporters) on how to conduct their business in the newsroom.
Journalists themselves have suffered harassment from some concerned parties as a result of what appears to be their careless use of the social media.
Some of the journalists have even gone to the extent of attacking each other in the social media going against the cardinal rule of the profession, which does not support attacking a fellow journalist publicly.
In one notable instance, a local journalist accused a fellow reporter of plagiarism on Facebook. Some fellow scribes rather strongly felt that the issue could have been dealt with on a different platform instead of using the social media.
Some media houses in advanced nations have come up with very comprehensive social media policies in a bid to curtail the abuse of the social media by reporters.
They monitor the social media platforms used by their reporters closely. In addition, reporters are obliged to distinguish their personal opinions from their organisations’.
Spencer Mogapi, the co-publisher and deputy editor of local weekly newspapers, Sunday Standard and Telegraph, agrees that it is high time interaction of local journalists on the social media is regulated through a policy.
“Recently, I recommended to the Botswana Press Council to consider coming up with a code to govern the use of the social media by journalists to prevent its abuse. Over and above that, each media house should also have its own social media policy,” Mogapi said.
He added that journalists have even gone to the extent of insulting some sources especially politicians on the social media. The trend, he said has led to the loss of credibility of some of the local journalists.
Mogapi who is also the chairman of the Botswana Editors Forum added that established newspapers around the world have sound social media policies, which help them control how their reporters use the social media to avoid abuse and unnecessary conflict of interest.
“For example as part of the policy of some of these newspapers if you (reporter) post something homophobic or targeting a certain religion the newspaper may take stern action against you,” he highlighted.
Botswana Press Council chairperson Tshireletso Motlogelwa agreed that there is need for reporters, editors and other media stakeholders to come together in order to share ideas on how best reporters can effectively use the social media.
“ We are worried by the abuse of the social media but as a council to come up with a code it is a long process as it involves a lot of consultations. In the interim editors and publishers should help deal with how journalists use the social media and encourage them to use it effectively,” said Motlogelwa who is also the editor of a weekly newspaper Business Weekly and Review.
Motlogelwa however said that restricting the use of the social media should not totally curtail civil liberties of reporters.
He said the press council intends to call a meeting with relevant stakeholders in a bid to discuss issues on how media workers can best use the social media.
Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Botswana chapter chairman Buyani Zongwane, also said that there is need for media houses in the country to come up with social media policies.
“ From our side as MISA we are talking to our funders to assist us with funds to capacitate journalists to effectively use the social media. Last week we made a request to the Open Initiative Society of Southern Africa (OSISA) to assist with funds that we will utilise on training journalists on how they can prudently use the social media,” he said.
Zongwane also said that MISA is worried by a growing trend in which journalists appear to be misusing the social media. “ We are not saying journalists should not use the social media.
They are at liberty to do so provided they are not careless and guard against posting things that could lead to their credibility or that of their media houses being questioned,” he noted.
He explained that the local media “has lost trust among the right-thinking members of the society by carelessly using the social media.”
A lecturer in the department of media studies at the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology in Gaborone also said that there is need for the local media to come up with a social media policy on how journalists can use the social media.
“ The policy is important more especially that most media houses target audiences which do not interrogate issues extensively. If the audience does not interrogate issues it means that to some extent they will not be able to differentiate between a reporter’s personal opinion and with that of his/her media house. All these affect the credibility of the media house and that of a reporter,” he observed and added that the media houses with sound social media policies have managed to keep their reputation intact. He however, added that media organisations should try to strike a balance when coming up with a social media policy so that it does not infringe on civil liberties of reporters.
University of Botswana (UB) senior lecturer in the department of law Dr Tachilisa Balule told Mmegi this week: “ Media houses themselves should have self regulation when it comes to issues of using the social media by reporters.”
Balule is credited for helping the Botswana Press Council craft a code of ethics for local journalists. He has also provided assistance to the local media in various aspects that require legal brains.
He also concedes that it may be difficult to monitor how reporters use the social media because journalists may argue that they are entitled to their personal opinion.
“The social media policy has helped in some advanced nations because journalists have been able to avoid being embroiled in controversy thus maintaining their credibility.
I think locally, apart from coming up with a policy, reporters should be encouraged to use the social media in a way that will not impact badly on their professional lives or the media houses they work for,” he said.