Reuters restricts use of Twitter by journalists

The British news agency Thomson Reuters warns its journalists against using Twitter too enthusiastically. It wants journalists to first publicize their scoops via Reuters, before sending the news to the world via Twitter.

This is evident from the new internet guidelines from Reuters, who according to Mashable have recently been published. Breaking news must first be released via Reuters before it can be distributed on Twitter. Reuters also wants journalists to explicitly state in their profiles that they work for Reuters and that their tweets are in a personal capacity. Furthermore, nothing negative about Reuters should be tweeted and journalists are advised to have their messages checked by a colleague, whether or not after publication.

In addition, journalists on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook should exercise restraint in expressing their views. This is not just about making explicit statements, but also about joining groups or posting links that only highlight one side of an issue. According to Reuters, the independence and reliability of a journalist should not be doubted. That’s why journalists should also be critical when posting links that could be a hoax.

Before a reporter is allowed to use social networks during working hours, he must also ask permission from his boss. Finally, the guidelines prohibit Reuters journalists from impersonating anything other than a journalist online, for example in chat rooms or forums. Cracking passwords or circumventing security measures is completely out of the question.