By Bron Maher, PressGazette, March 13, 2023
As the BBC reviews its staff social media guidelines following Gary Lineker’s suspension, Press Gazette has analysed how other publishers seek to protect themselves.
Press Gazette looked at social media guidelines from: The Guardian, The New York Times, The Washington Post, ITV, Channel 4, Associated Press, CNN, DMGT and the BBC.
Some social media advice to journalists is universal among publishers. Variations upon “only post what you would publish or broadcast” appeared in almost every set of guidelines.
So too did the rule that journalists, particularly those on the news side, should refrain from posting political opinions.
Where there was difference on this point related to the scope of that impartiality. Channel 4 advises staff: “You should avoid making statements that could be perceived as taking a position on a political issue of the day.”
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