Social media and the hijacking of facts

At a time when anyone with a phone can publish ‘news’, unverified and often racially-tinged information are common. Being responsible when reporting news has become crucial.

AS a new reporter who had just joined a newspaper in 1984, I was assigned to the crime and courts beats to hone my skills.

Covering police stations and courtrooms taught us rookies, as we were called, to verify facts, work multiple sources, and understand the legal boundaries of reporting. It taught us what could be said and what must not be said.

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