In 2017, the New York Times posted their social media guidelines for all reporters and employees. In November of 2020, the New York Times updated their policy to address the ongoing debate about Twitter and censorship. In the updated policy, the newspaper acknowledges that social media can be a great place for reporters to interact with people and improve their reporting abilities. Even while acknowledging the benefits of social media, the policy made clear that partisan opinions were to be kept off social media as it reflected poorly on the newspaper. In addition, the New York Times emphasized that potential punishments for breaking this policy would be swift and strictly enforced.
I agree that reporters need to remain unbiased when reporting a story. But one aspect of the policy that I have a problem with is the idea that reporters are not allowed to express their opinions on any social platform outside of work. This kind of censorship seems dangerous. If reporters are never allowed to share their own opinions on an issue–then their voices are nothing more than an echo chamber of the newspaper’s executives. As someone who believes strongly in free speech and the ability for individuals to express themselves, I struggle to accept the idea that a newspaper can silence its own reporters on social platforms. Threatening termination of employment over a personal opinion expressed on social media seems like a subversion of democracy.
Yes, it is important for reporters to remain fair, but I believe fairness in reporting means presenting both sides of an issue, not pretending to be unbiased. There is no such thing as a perfectly unbiased reporter which means there will never be an unbiased newspaper. Fair reporting is different from unbiased reporting, and the New York Times doesn’t seem to understand that.
The Times Issues Social Media Guidelines for the Newsroom – The New York Times (nytimes.com)
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