Meet The New Spammers The Newsroom

Getting hounded by the media when you upload UGC

You’ve just experienced an incredibly horrifying experience. You survived a plane crash, hurricane, devastating flood, witnessed a shooting or crime. Your heart races; adrenaline following, emotions, fear or worry.

What do you do? You instinctually share your experience with your friends and family. In the thick of it, you hit send.

Then something odd happens (something that has never happened before). Somehow, out of nowhere, someone from the news replies to your post.

“I am with <insert news channel> - did you take this video/can we use for all media without limitation? If yes, comment agree. thanks.”

Then, as you’re trying to figure out what that means, another one pops up. And a stream of strange links start showing up asking you to click or reply with specific hashtags.

Welcome to the new era of ill-timed spammers

Newsrooms, we need to check ourselves before we wreck ourselves. Stop. Think of the uploader before you hit send.

1. What is the uploader/poster going through right now?
2. Are they safe?
3. Are they uploading/sharing content with you in mind? (answer: no)
4. Has another member of the media already contacted the uploader? If yes, how have they responded to that?
5. How does your message come across to the uploader?
6. Do you expect the uploader to understand your legalese?
7. Because they grant you permission to use the content — does that mean they are the actual copyright holder? (here is a truly mind boggling example)
8. If your legal team says you’re immune from damages of a false permission — is it reasonable to expect the uploader to understand the consequences of their actions or take the time to read the terms during their dramatic circumstances? (Remember, you sent the link. You put them in that situation.)
9. How does your use of social media news-gathering reflect on your brand? Spammy?
10. Lastly, how will your messaging/actions impact uploaders the next time they want to share valuable UGC?

Social media news-gathering is an incredible source of information and content. However, I fear we are on a path of destructive behaviour.

While it’s still early days and we’re all trying to figure things out, there are plenty of workflows that are appropriate for newsrooms and journalists. Most social networks offer completely ethical embed options (as do we here at SAM and other tools). A basic reading of the other replies on shared content will give the newsroom a really good sense if it’s appropriate to approach uploaders.

I spoke with Blizzard Walf (a storm chaser from the image above) about his experience with the media. Here are some of his responses:

ME: trying to get an understanding of what it’s like from your perspective?

ME: 1) did u understand what those links were about? 2) Would u bother to read them in a situation like that?

ME: 3) How did it come across? I.e. what do you think if newsrooms that do that?

Sometimes we forget that there are real people behind these social media profiles. Sometimes common sense is the best way forward.

Let’s not forget about the uploaders in the next breaking news story. Happy curating everyone!