A piece in Columbia Journalism Review raises concerns about Twitter’s new policy that bans the use of photos or videos "without the consent of the person depicted." CJR reported the only exceptions to this rule are if the person in question is "a public figure," or if the relevant imagery is shared "in the public interest, or adds value to public discourse."
However, the policy is vague, which is why it is raising concerns. It does not explain how Twitter will determine if something is in the public interest, or how it will define who is a public figure.
CJR quoted the general counsel for the National Press Photographers Association, who pointed out that “a person photographed in a public place has NO reasonable expectation of privacy,” and that Twitter will be “undermining the ability to report newsworthy events by creating nonexistent privacy rights.”
Shop Talk is a weekly panel discussion about journalism issues. This week’s program featured Will Buss, who teaches in the Department of Broadcasting and Journalism at Western Illinois University and advises the student editors at the Western Courier, the students at student radio station The Dog, and the WIU chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists; Rajvee Subramanian, who teaches in the Department of Broadcasting and Journalism at Western Illinois University; and TSPR News Director Rich Egger.
