Everyone who shares information should take ethical responsibility for it

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[Commentary] Why do journalism ethics only apply to those who wear the journalist label when so many others now slide into the journalist role? Information is coming from everywhere, but only a fraction of sources feel pressure to get it right. We need a new way of looking at media ethics. One where ethics follow not people, but impact.

Of course, a journalism defined by impact over source has its own dilemmas. We’re still talking in vague principles, first of all, using far too many abstractions. What does collaboration between legacy and new media even look like? What kind of “impact” are we talking about here? Plus: We’re never going to get everyone who shares information to feel as responsible for its effects as we expected Brian Williams to feel. Accountability falls on a gradient, and it’s determined by a person’s reputation, credibility, genre, and reach. In short: How much do their audiences expect of them? That’s where we can change things. By celebrating public information that enlightens, and calling out public information that misleads, we can show audiences everywhere that they should expect more. Not just from “journalists.” From “entertainers.” From Facebook friends. From everyone.


Everyone who shares information should take ethical responsibility for it