Opinion: Social media platforms make producing and distributing information very accessible. But that doesn’t mean that everyone with an account is a reporter.
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Social media allows anyone and everyone to contribute opinions and information to the world without certification or verification processes. In some cases, this freedom leads to an overwhelming amount of misinformation or hateful speech that discourages people from trusting all of the online content they come across.
Some people dedicate their platforms to providing steady, accurate information online and can even go to the lengths to produce unofficial journalism and post it on social media.
This type of work, done by regular people, qualifies as citizen journalism — which is another form of reporting news to the public that comes outside of professional newsrooms. Whether on X, formerly Twitter, or a personal blog, citizen journalists take on some of journalism’s professional responsibilities while maintaining the liberties of a normal social media user.
“Citizen journalists bring in different types of sources and information that professional journalists don’t use,” Nate Wilson, a co-editor in chief of Ethos Magazine, said. Professional journalists can be restricted by their place of work and a standard of objectivity, but citizens can use a lack of professional rules to their advantage in reporting.
“[Citizen journalists] are people who have specific interests and feel compelled to speak on it,” Wilson said.
Citizen journalists have looser standards and personal experiences or interests that guide their reporting process, something professionals may often not be able to do because of their required beats or the potential bias that comes with experience. The restricting rule of objectivity can prevent professionals from reporting painful realities they care about, but other people step up.
In the spring of 2020, I saw this come to life as the Black Lives Matter protests went on in Portland for weeks. While others watched mainstream TV news, I relied on videos and livestreams on X to get information about what happened in my hometown every night. The footage of protesters and police came from a mix of people like me: citizens and off-duty journalists who felt passionate about the issue.
In situations like the protests in Portland and, more recently, the war in Gaza, information becomes valuable when mainstream news outlets lack coverage of an issue. According to Wilson, citizen journalism provides information about events like these that “becomes even more available when the mass media doesn’t cover it.”
Citizen journalism, although immensely important in filling in coverage gaps, can get lost or discredited while circulating so much misinformation and other distracting noise online. But as long as it’s “accurate, good information,” it’s beneficial, Wilson said.
To better distinguish citizen journalism from both social media rabbit holes and professional reporting, Wilson recommends Substack, an online platform for newsletter subscriptions of thorough and fair information to reach audiences eager for everyday people’s research.
“The root of journalism is talking to people and reading,” which anyone can do, Wilson said.
The work citizen journalism does is something professionals try but often fall short of due to their responsibility to their publication’s standards. Citizens feel allegiance to personal or social experiences and can learn how to report as they go.
For professional work, go to credible news outlets. For work done by people around you, learn to navigate online platforms and search for reliable citizen journalists who are passionate about giving people the information they need.