Abstract

MARTINS, Paulo. When Digital Social Networks Are Journalistic Sources - An Approach to Codes of Ethics. Comunicação e Sociedade [online]. 2024, vol.45, e024001.  Epub June 30, 2024. ISSN 1645-2089.  https://doi.org/10.17231/comsoc.45(2024).4748.

The inescapable influence of social media on journalism has introduced a multitude of challenges that professionals in the field cannot afford to overlook. Increasingly used as sources, social media platforms contribute significantly to the evolution of new dynamics in news production. This is particularly evident in the coverage of unfolding events, prioritising speed of transmission and immediacy as inherent values. This emphasis often encourages the rapid extraction of content available on the internet, leaving minimal time for thorough scrutiny. This article delves into the phenomenon from an ethical standpoint. Through an analysis of 32 codes of ethics - and analogous instruments - that specifically address this evolving reality, it identifies journalistic values and principles concerning information-gathering methods, especially pertaining to digital social networks. The primary emphasis remains on the requirement to verify and validate the material while identifying sources following traditional procedures, given the potential risks to the integrity of journalistic narratives. Most codes in the corpus also prioritise safeguarding citizens’ private sphere, possibly stemming from the dissemination of material. This concern extends beyond general privacy protection, encompassing the highly sensitive issues associated with it: the vulnerability and emotional distress experienced by authors of social media posts and the presence of victims or minors on social networks.

Keywords : digital social networks; information gathering; information sources; journalistic ethics and deontology; professional practices.

        · abstract in Portuguese     · text in English | Portuguese     · English ( pdf ) | Portuguese ( pdf )