Discussion “Citizen Journalism” (IMI-M5-02-EN)

• To raise awareness on the issue of civic journalism
• To consider civic responsibility in sharing information
• To stimulate reflection on information disorder
• To stimulate participants’ critical thinking

• Students
• Adolescent youth
• Educators, trainers, councillors, youth workers
• Any citizen

The activity stimulates the participants to consider the new concept of citizen or collaborative journalism and dwell on the ethical issues associated with it.

Introduction (10 minutes)

The facilitator opens the activity by explaining the phenomenon “citizen journalism” and by showing the TED Talk titled "Civic Journalism”  (https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ted+talks+on+media+ethics&qpvt=ted+talks+on+media+ethics&view=detail&mid=9ED004877B3098B703F49ED004877B3098B703F4&&FORM=VDRVRV). The talk discusses the potential and risks linked to contemporary citizen journalism. Through two genuine examples involving vastly different media outlets reporting stories far from reality, the talk illustrates how interested parties manipulate each narrative.

Discussion (20 minutes)

The facilitator asks the participants to choose an event from their everyday life (an event they witnessed) on which they would like to report on the social media. The event could be a hot topic (e.g. a protest against new regulation allowing cars in a park) or a trivial one (e.g. a training on media literacy). The participants are tasked to write a short overview report announcing the details of the event.

Each participant is invited to share her/his report and reply to the following questions:

• Were the facts in the report verified? If yes, how?
• Was the event covered in mainstream media and/or by other people in the social media? If yes, how frequently?
• Were there different versions in the presentation of the main facts about event? In yes what would be the reasons?
• What additional research did they conduct to confirm the story's accuracy?
• Has the presenter performed such an activity in real terms? What was his/her experience about this?

The above questions together with any other questions can be asked by the audience.

Debriefing (5 minutes) 

The facilitator wraps up the discussion by asking the participants to reflect on our ethical and civic responsibility as co-creators and multiplier of information in the on-line environment and on the personal responsibility to safeguard the truth of what we read and report.

• Electronic appliance (s) with Internet access
• Sheets of paper and pens/pencils
• Flipchart

• Guidance
• Active listening
• (Self-)Reflection
• Discussion

• Start the activity with a 5-minute introduction, explaining the mode of conduct within the group – respect, tolerance, listening without interruption
• The subtitles of the video can be auto-translated. Instructions: Go to the Settings, choose Subtitles/CC, enable auto-translate (last option) and choose your language. If auto-translate option does not appear, choose first English (auto-generated) and then auto-translate. 

UNODC Module Series on Integrity and Ethics, (2017), Retrieved from

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