The new trend among News Reporters

Like some of you, I use ATS as my main source for news. Whenever a thread pops up, I check it's source, monitor the discussion on the forum, and occasionally give my input. I find this to be a great system of learning news.

Recently, though, I've seen a trend arise among News Sources. It most likely goes unnoticed by the general public, but it has stuck out to me like a sore thumb. It is the use of social networking sites to gather information on a new subject. Here are a number of exampes to explain my point:



Gunman's Environmental Grudges Well Known Before Discovery Channel Hostage Standoff

On Lee's MySpace profile, he gave himself the label "World Guardian," and in a December 2008 blog post, Lee wrote of "having strange dreams."

Under the "Who I'd like to meet" category of his MySpace page, he listed, "Environmentalists, scientists, readers of Daniel Quinn, and people who want to work toward a real change."

Among his TV interests: the Discovery Channel.

Source: FoxNews



Flighty or Folk Hero? Jury's Still Out on Steven Slater

This screen grab taken from MySpace shows Slater. The flight attendant for JetBlue Airways Corp. looked pleased and relieved after cursing out a passenger on an airplane public-address system, grabbing some beer from the galley and using an emergency slide to hop off, another passenger said (AP).

Source: FoxNews



Lancaster woman died of meningitis, mother confirms

Cottrell planned to go to Ohio University to become a registered nurse, according to her MySpace page.

Source: LancasterEagleGazette



Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston Dating History

He had a MySpace page where he described himself as a "f---ing redneck" and clearly stated: "I don’t want kids." Pictures showed him flipping the bird to the camera and carrying guns.

Zimbio



Man stabbed, killed in domestic dispute

On her MySpace page, she referred to Mr. Rolland as "my Top Cat."

She wrote on Aug. 8: "I'm happy, livin my life with my Top Cat! Things couldn't be greater!" Her mood, she wrote: "Crazy in love."

On July 25, she expressed her intentions of marrying him. "I'm not marrying anyone but Top Cat Rolland."

The day he finished his jail term for their May 9 domestic fight, she wrote, "I'm back with my Top Cat! I love you, baby!"

WatertownDailyTimes



New Yorker survives 39-story plunge into parked car

The newspaper says Magill wrote on his Facebook page: "I hate my life."

USAToday



Facebook page reveals the shooter’s stress

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - David Frisby left a message on his Facebook page that indicates he was under some stress.

The message, which was posted before the shooting reads,

"The bad lawyers at the Barnes and Thornburg law firm, particularly in the persons of Paul Hunt, Jeff Michael, and Kevin Mclaren, do not respect the institution of marriage and corrupted my wife Mary Jane (sex and drugs). Someone (maybe one of their good lawyers, Jim Sweeney?) please make them pay. Justice demands the truth out. It's a tragedy."

A post from July 23rd reads:

"Death (future, present, past -- presence) Eternity."

24 Hour News 8 tracked down two people who knew David Frisby. They both said he was taking this pending divorce very hard. One person said David was brilliant.


The information page, on Facebook lists Nietzsche as his religion. Frisby had several degrees and was interested in philosophy. He was reportedly retired from IUPUI.

WishTV



Those are just a select few o the examples I've seen.

I'm just not sure how I feel about this. Is this lazy investigative journalism, or is it the new trend among reporters? Also, is this an invasion of privacy? Sure, it is on the public domain, but I'm sure no one intended what they wrote to be broadcast on the News, espcally in the case of the news reported by the WatertownDailyTimes.

I don't know, just something feels off about all of this. But hey, that's just my opinion. What do you think, ATS? Also, do you have any more examples of this, maybe even more alarming than these?

[edit on 2-9-2010 by gatorboi117]

It is social media, so if its on there, would it be a question of invasion of privacy? I know the police and other security agencies utilize social media as well-its a great source of a lot of information. As well, soldiers are warned to be careful and cognizant to what they post on social media. Just my $.02...

cheers

Frankly, most of those seem to be passages where the person in question is being discussed and the information they released in their social media site is probably the best source of information about them.

I see no issue here.

Now if the story was something like: Aligators ate New York City, Joe Blow has the scoop on his facebook page.

That I would have issues with.

reply to post by gatorboi117


Possibly it is just the 21st Century way of saying: "According to colleagues and friends, (add person in question) he was besotted with guns and was anti-establishment...".

Social network sites probably give better insight than any other source. In one sense, it is first hand.

reply to post by gatorboi117

I have noticed it but not to the extent you've pointed out. Regardless, I don't see it as lazy investigative journalism but instead an additional, new way of adding to it. Is it lazy to google something instead of going to the library for the same information? Is it lazy to use a phone for communication instead of physically visiting a person for the same information? I think it gives greater insight into the personal lives of people which in some ways would have otherwise been impossible to attain.

As far as the invasion of privacy, like you said it's in the public domain. If someone wants to remain private, posting online isn't the way to achieve it; end of story. Everyone should understand and accept that anything and everything is being broadcast and available for the world to see. It's really no different than buying a space in the classified's and your ad showing up on Jay Leno's Headlines or anything similar.

We're going through a transitional period of time and people on all sides aren't sure how to handle the instantaneous availability and freedom of information. I imagine similar issues came up in the past when new forms of media came about.

reply to post by gatorboi117

Twitter is and was fast an agile and was scooping stories vs.
the MSM.

The MSM has been hurting due to alternative media, Twitter,
and others.

The internet is just too fast and agile for them, and a variety
of viewpoints can come in from myriad of directions.

The MSM cannot compete with this free vector, thus the MASSIVE
layoffs and cost cutting at their offices.

One might say ... Adapt or die...

Now as for veracity of these sites its a mixed bag, but even the
NY times was caught a few times with bad material coming from
its staff for various reasons.

It also became obvious that some stories were simply not
given airplay etc etc...

Is there some systemic media controls out there ?

I'd say NSPD/HSPD 51 covers that, and other political leanings.

So with various events the ppl are finding the government and
the media are at a minimum biased and at a maximum have
semi-invisible strings of control tied to them going in various
directions.

This led the ppl to look for the truth elsewhere.

Thus our present situation.

I liken it to shooting yourself in the foot, and or expecting
different results when you do that same thing over and over.

LOL



[edit on 3-9-2010 by Ex_MislTech]

[edit on 3-9-2010 by Ex_MislTech]

Im sure im to blame for stuff like that kind of reporting too lol,

But i will explain why..I dont trust what im fed from news channels, Simple! Im sick of there spin there twists and turns and making us think a certain way..

So I choose to investigate myself, Searching out the people on Social network sites, Getting a bigger picture of who they are, There real attitude there likes and dislikes, It helps me gain a larger perspective of that person as a whole,

In tern that can make me question things,
We cant trust everything we read but it sure helps when things start not to match up.

That's why i don't go anywhere near things like facebook, twitter, my space etc It is shocking how much information along with pics etc people put out about themselves...you can practically know someones whole weekly routine, where they go on the weekend for a drink, who they will be going with, where they work, people they work with plus much much more. So it makes sense msm would like to use that are a source of info about people and their friends.

[edit on 3-9-2010 by Solomons]

To make matters worse, here in the UK, the BBC is going overboard with the facebook and twitter crap.

Their website is full of it now, and a social network site of some sort is always featuring in their main bulletins.

I think these networks are making it possible for journalists to "create" news stories. The life of the commoner is now accessible to those who "report" news, which is why more and more "commoner" stories are being reported.

So, overall, it looks like journalists standards have lowered.

Haha, and to think, James Murdoch told a British audience the BBC and it's dominance of the "free news market" is strangling quality journalism, and yet it's his journalists who are doing all the gutter reporting.

Go figure Fox news fans.

You DO understand that only six multinational corporations CONTROL the news that you see and hear in the U.S. Thereby your stream of prole feed propaganda will never go against the interest of the Corporation(s). Journalism is dead. All we have now are propagandists. Facebook, is a data mining operation. Why would you post significant personal information on the internet, so that ANYONE may have access to it? Now facebook information is being used in criminal prosecutions? I have a question. So they get your IP address, how can they PROVE who typed the info et cetera? Isn't likened to... your car being I'd'ed as the perpetrator of a hit and run? How can they prove WHO was driving? Unless you video yourself driving the car during the crime and then post it on facebook. OR unless you open your big mouth. I think there's a North Korean saying "even a fish wouldn't get caught if it kept it's mouth shut." Peace.

reply to post by Klaatumagnum


Because those who use Facebook have an exceptionally low I.Q.

Think about it, if they actually stopped just for 1 minute to think about what is happening with their data, they wouldn't populate the page. Then again, they are too stupid to realise. (Man, this makes me look like some sort of snob)

Maybe I'm clued up, but even those within my inner circles who are mad about social networking sites I regard to have a very low I.Q.

Politicians and the like, have jumped on the bandwagon with such sites cos the "kids " deem it to be "cool". They are desperate to get the kids on board with their high tech knowledge, and the more politicians seen to be doing it, the more the public will do it.

Vicious circle, but in the meantime, someone, somewhere is building a rather large profile of you. Whose to say they are not doing it for the politicians?

The examples you cited have a common thread in that the reporter uses social networking sites as a method of criminal or victim profiling, which is probably more civil than conducting jailhouse or hospital room interviews.

Actually, I find it appalling that people expect privacy or concealment on social media. Aggressive advertising has caused people to put too much trust in computers, and it's a shame.

If you ever wonder why stupid videos are shown on TV, it's because some think tank determined that stupid videos what 18-34 males enjoy watching on the Internet.

I have noticed the trend too.

I do not think it invades privacy.

I would only find a journalist lazy if they relied on blogs, and social network sites for the sloe source of an article. I would expect the meat and potatoes of the article to remain, and facebook or myspace to be part of the gravy and butter, that greatly enhances the flavor of the article.

As an independent researcher, I have found the use of social networking sites invaluable. In fact it is directly because of my simple facebook investigating all upper management at this place I used to work made their pages private. It is amazing how much one can glean from what people put out there.

Take the case of that Joe Stack man. His own website and posts were used against him.

I would expect if I did something awfully media worthy that a good journalist would be able to piece together an internet profile on me. If they could not bad journalism in my pov.

This is the world we live in, and these are the tools we are given....(to grossly misquote Phil Collins).

reply to post by vcwxvwligen


Why is it a shame?

I have the opposite view, I think it is a wonderful blessing, and the good of the internet/omputers far outweighs the bad.

IMO.

[edit on 4-9-2010 by hotbakedtater]

reply to post by hotbakedtater


Trust me, I know how computers work. They invade your privacy much more than people could even imagine. Virus attacks are at an all-time high. Even organized crime and legitimate corporations are involved in cyber-attacks.

Originally posted by vcwxvwligen
reply to post by hotbakedtater

 

Trust me, I know how computers work. They invade your privacy much more than people could even imagine. Virus attacks are at an all-time high. Even organized crime and legitimate corporations are involved in cyber-attacks.

I have used the internet for twenty yrs and computers for thirty. I guess I do not know how they work by now.

reply to post by Thistled


True. Very true. I wouldn't call anyone stupid though, that's just me. I think they choose to remain asleep. Politicians on the facebook bandwagon? There was a story a couple of months past in the MSM about the wife of the head of MI5 posting the couples entire intinerary on facebook! WTF! Sometimes I get angry about whats happening in the World. I catch myself (sometimes after I post on ATS) and say to myself, hey-what the hell are you doing-they chose this...stay positive! I guess we should just let the BS amuse us, though it often is the blackest of humour. Facebook, who know's what info is being compiled somewhere in the shadow government. In the shadows where super secret, uber powerfull computers compile data, voiceprints from cell phone calls, bank account numbers, likes and dislikes and an infinate possibility of data. All providing a very accurate picture of each one of us. Namaste

reply to post by Klaatumagnum


So why can't I star and flag your most significant post?

ATS has been consumed by TPTB that is why.

Very good post.

reply to post by hotbakedtater


Then you should know how Flash cookies, browser hijacking, keystroke loggers and network sniffing work

I don't want to poo poo the original post here, and I don't want to hijack this post... however...

The point, the view I see this from, is that mainstream media is looking through the same sources that you, me and my uncle Bob use. The old adage stands true here “If you can't beat them join them”. It's funny that major news outlets are attempting to report news from social network sites as original investigations. To all of us that have been awake for more then the past day we know the truth. For the few million die hard lobotomized TV watching peeps out there... I kind of feel sorry for them and wish they could see the spoon.

Never forget this my friends... face book and other social media websites are designed with a few motivations in mind (1 – Profit from user submitted content. The less they have to do the better off they are) (2 – To keep track of the population) (3 – to ensure we go from TV slaves to social network slaves.)

Just my observations in this post.

( I am a talk show host, It's my job to look at things from a new perspective and present it for conversation and debate. If you would like to know more log into Take Out Cinema .com )