Social media
Reporters use social media:
To track down sources, in particular, people who witnessed a news event or were directly affected by it.
To gather user-generated content, like photos or videos, that a news provider may want to acquire and distribute/publish as part of its news report.
To find new sources and keep up with existing ones.
To interact with news consumers directly to inform their reporting and to promote their work.
To share links that provide an additional entry point into existing content.
To get a preliminary sense of how members of the public — or at least social media users — are reacting to an event.
Sharing/reposting others’ content
Tweets and public posts (but not photos) on Facebook, Instagram, etc. are fair game for sharing, but first consider ethical implications.
It’s OK to share information on the De Anza, Foothill-De Anza District and Foothill-De Anza Police Twitter or Facebook pages, but follow up immediately with an email and/or phone call.
It’s OK to repost “life at De Anza” type posts, as long as the language and content used fall within the scope of what would be acceptable in La Voz.
Use extreme caution when sharing controversial, accusatory and possibly libelous posts. Consult first with an editor. Attempt to reach the person posting to verify the information and follow up with more questions.