This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/apr/24/journalists-cannot-compete-with-twitter

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
We distrust so many of our institutions, so why do we take Twitter at its word? We distrust so many of our institutions, so why do we take Twitter at its word?
(5 months later)
One of my favourite phrases in Daily Mail land is when some celeb "takes to Twitter" rather than just tweets pictures of herself in a bikini. Soon I imagine I will read: "She fell upon Twitter with all the ardour of a woman who had not updated her Facebook or Instagrammed for an entire week."One of my favourite phrases in Daily Mail land is when some celeb "takes to Twitter" rather than just tweets pictures of herself in a bikini. Soon I imagine I will read: "She fell upon Twitter with all the ardour of a woman who had not updated her Facebook or Instagrammed for an entire week."
In truth, the Daily Mail takes from Twitter, as do all news organisations. When people get snotty about Twitter, as they often do, signalling that they are deeper, more well-rounded individuals than those who inhabit the juvenile Twittersphere, I wonder how they fail to notice that many of the stories they ponder over, even in serious newspapers, will come from Twitter. In a sense we are all on Twitter whether we like it or not.In truth, the Daily Mail takes from Twitter, as do all news organisations. When people get snotty about Twitter, as they often do, signalling that they are deeper, more well-rounded individuals than those who inhabit the juvenile Twittersphere, I wonder how they fail to notice that many of the stories they ponder over, even in serious newspapers, will come from Twitter. In a sense we are all on Twitter whether we like it or not.
For it is the global newswire. It gets there first and fastest. Daily Mail proprietor Lord Rothermere described Twitter as "a major form of primary source material for us and the guys on Mail Online try and turn around stories from Twitter in about three minutes."For it is the global newswire. It gets there first and fastest. Daily Mail proprietor Lord Rothermere described Twitter as "a major form of primary source material for us and the guys on Mail Online try and turn around stories from Twitter in about three minutes."
You can mock this all you like, and Twitter is filled with users who take great delight in berating the Mail, but this micro-blogging site has redefined journalism.You can mock this all you like, and Twitter is filled with users who take great delight in berating the Mail, but this micro-blogging site has redefined journalism.
Twitter is ungovernable and unconcerned with ethics (post-Leveson, some people might say just like parts of the print media) but unlike traditional news organisations, the users of Twitter have no collective obligation to get it right.Twitter is ungovernable and unconcerned with ethics (post-Leveson, some people might say just like parts of the print media) but unlike traditional news organisations, the users of Twitter have no collective obligation to get it right.
In the past week or so, they have indeed got it very wrong. The account of Associated Press was hacked and started tweeting that the White House had been bombed and Obama injured. Immediately the Dow crumbled. Traders, who work at speed making snap decisions about where to put money, moved it. A hacked timeline made the earth move by causing market tremors.In the past week or so, they have indeed got it very wrong. The account of Associated Press was hacked and started tweeting that the White House had been bombed and Obama injured. Immediately the Dow crumbled. Traders, who work at speed making snap decisions about where to put money, moved it. A hacked timeline made the earth move by causing market tremors.
We had already seen what happens when Twitter users, far from participating in beatific crowd-sourcing, imagine themselves to be CIA agents in Homeland. After the Boston bombing, without forensics, intelligence or even all the CCTV, users of Twitter and other social media sites identified the bombers and were completely wrong. Worse, some mainstream outlets picked this up, the rush to be first overwhelming the need to be accurate. When groupthink goes feral, a few individuals are blamed for being stupid. Every mindless idiot who retweeted false information just rolls on to the next spectacular.We had already seen what happens when Twitter users, far from participating in beatific crowd-sourcing, imagine themselves to be CIA agents in Homeland. After the Boston bombing, without forensics, intelligence or even all the CCTV, users of Twitter and other social media sites identified the bombers and were completely wrong. Worse, some mainstream outlets picked this up, the rush to be first overwhelming the need to be accurate. When groupthink goes feral, a few individuals are blamed for being stupid. Every mindless idiot who retweeted false information just rolls on to the next spectacular.
This has made some pause. Guess what, some actual journalistic skills – reporting, sourcing, fact-checking – may seem so last-century but they still matter. As Dan Gillmor wrote, "slow news", or just news, depends on this. We need the scepticism of professionals, always asking: "Who is giving me this information? Why? Can I trust it?"This has made some pause. Guess what, some actual journalistic skills – reporting, sourcing, fact-checking – may seem so last-century but they still matter. As Dan Gillmor wrote, "slow news", or just news, depends on this. We need the scepticism of professionals, always asking: "Who is giving me this information? Why? Can I trust it?"
It is remarkable to me that despite a devastating lack of public trust in so many of our major institutions, on social media people are ready to take at face value what any batty stranger tweets. It appears that social networks left unchecked are prone to conspiracy, overwrought speculation and the circulation of untruths.It is remarkable to me that despite a devastating lack of public trust in so many of our major institutions, on social media people are ready to take at face value what any batty stranger tweets. It appears that social networks left unchecked are prone to conspiracy, overwrought speculation and the circulation of untruths.
The job of journalism now is not to compete with Twitter but to coexist with it and show the best of itself. After a year of being publicly trashed, journalism may now be full of data crunchers and munchers but it will still have to finance decent reporters. The limits of "free" citizen journalism are becoming apparent.The job of journalism now is not to compete with Twitter but to coexist with it and show the best of itself. After a year of being publicly trashed, journalism may now be full of data crunchers and munchers but it will still have to finance decent reporters. The limits of "free" citizen journalism are becoming apparent.
The very openness of Twitter, even when it gets stuff wrong, means such openness is expected elsewhere in every institution. Those who fail to use it effectively lose out. And if you want to see an organisation that mastered a tweet feed during a crisis, you only have to look at Boston's police department. Even in their moment of "triumph", they remembered the victims of the bombings.The very openness of Twitter, even when it gets stuff wrong, means such openness is expected elsewhere in every institution. Those who fail to use it effectively lose out. And if you want to see an organisation that mastered a tweet feed during a crisis, you only have to look at Boston's police department. Even in their moment of "triumph", they remembered the victims of the bombings.
As annoying as Twitter is – not just in terms of misinformation but also in terms of spatting instead of building alliances (I plead guilty) – it cannot simply be turned off.As annoying as Twitter is – not just in terms of misinformation but also in terms of spatting instead of building alliances (I plead guilty) – it cannot simply be turned off.
No one says: step away from the keyboard, you made a mistake. Instead, the great global gush of sandwich fillings and Syria continues all day, every day.No one says: step away from the keyboard, you made a mistake. Instead, the great global gush of sandwich fillings and Syria continues all day, every day.
It is only fun when individuals go bad. Bret Easton Ellis getting banned from a gay awards ceremony for his tweets amused me greatly. Ellis (I am a fan) with his zoned-out, bitchy, vapid, misogynistic tweets often involving B-list celebrities – rather like one of his own characters – managed to be homophobic even though he is in a gay relationship. Bret Easton Ellis of American Psycho fame is not very right on? Gosh, who would have thought? Likewise, Richard Dawkins is a hotheaded zealot on Twitter and Rihanna likes to party!It is only fun when individuals go bad. Bret Easton Ellis getting banned from a gay awards ceremony for his tweets amused me greatly. Ellis (I am a fan) with his zoned-out, bitchy, vapid, misogynistic tweets often involving B-list celebrities – rather like one of his own characters – managed to be homophobic even though he is in a gay relationship. Bret Easton Ellis of American Psycho fame is not very right on? Gosh, who would have thought? Likewise, Richard Dawkins is a hotheaded zealot on Twitter and Rihanna likes to party!
Really, though, what Twitter needs now is another function apart from favouriting, sharing, or retweeting. It could simply be a question mark to indicate that certain information is unverified. It is not true that Twitter stands back and is a totally neutral platform; it bothers to verify the accounts of the famous.Really, though, what Twitter needs now is another function apart from favouriting, sharing, or retweeting. It could simply be a question mark to indicate that certain information is unverified. It is not true that Twitter stands back and is a totally neutral platform; it bothers to verify the accounts of the famous.
Whether a function that indicated uncertainty would work, I don't know but collectively, not to make a drama out of a crisis, we have to trust Twitter less while we use it more and more. Now the initial thrill has gone, Twitter shouldn't mean never having to say you are sorry.Whether a function that indicated uncertainty would work, I don't know but collectively, not to make a drama out of a crisis, we have to trust Twitter less while we use it more and more. Now the initial thrill has gone, Twitter shouldn't mean never having to say you are sorry.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.