Facebook as Reporting Tool

Shared with me, and like so many Facebook examples, the names and university changed to protect the innocent.

What in the world is being taught in journalism school when a student includes this passage in an interview request for a college athlete:

Normally I would have just gotten quotes from [SPORT REMOVED] on Facebook, but I'm received some grief about that from other sports relations people.

On one level, this is shocking. Could you be lazier, just Wiki-harvesting data? And not telling the subject of your story that you're lifting quotes from a place where the intention clearly was not to reveal information that was "quotable."

Before we tar and feather our young journalist, or call for the removal of accreditation of the involved school, turn this around.

How many times have I said you must take care with your Facebook -- any student -- because you do not know who is reading? How many experts have cast Facebook and other SNW as the opportunity to "market" yourself and create the public persona you want people to see?

At the end of the day, is what this person proposed to do wrong? It violates the 20th century ethics of journalism, but the whole blogger industry lives on the unauthorized lift of passages. This post itself would be a hypocritical example of that by taking a portion of an email forwarded to me. Is it any different from gossip columns of old and new -- this just "overheard".

In some ways, this college student could have reached for something true, something raw, something of the moment, by just taking the quotes needed from the Facebook page of the athletes involved. Are we at the point now where SNW becomes the real first draft of history? How many academic careers were made by reading the diaries of the dead -- paging Ken Burns, Mr. Burns, white courtesy phone please.

Again, is it unethical? Might be too strong. Is it bad form? Yes, especially if you ever wish to work with that person or institution again.

The tweet away: When I say everyone is watching your SNW, they really are; take care with your emotions and postings. They really will represent you forever.