Anyone with a smartphone and an internet connection can now report news. This is citizen journalism: people who are not professional journalists, and who do not work for a media house, collect and share news or events through social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

What citizen journalism means

Citizen journalism lets ordinary people create news on their own and reach a wide audience. If you come across an incident that people should know about, you can record it, post it and share it widely. Sometimes a big media house finds the report interesting enough to carry it on its own platform.

Citizens are often better placed to report than professionals. Reporters cannot be everywhere, and may not reach interior villages or the exact spot where something happened. Local people are usually there first, so they report first.

Journalism and citizen journalism

The line between the two is thin. Journalism is the activity of gathering news and presenting it to the public, and the power lies with the media houses. In citizen journalism, the power lies with the citizens.

Examples

• Natural disasters. When a landslide hits a hill region, local residents often post photos and videos online or send them to family groups. They act as citizen journalists and give the first proof of what happened. Mainstream media pick the story up later.
• Accidents and fires. When a fire breaks out in a market, people nearby often share it on social media before news teams arrive.

Strengths and risks

Citizen journalists can have a real impact when like-minded people support each other's content and help it spread. A large following also helps a report reach more people. At the same time, the internet and social media are double-edged. With so much false information in circulation, a citizen journalist has a duty to share only news that has been carefully checked and is accurate.

Key points for a citizen journalist

1. Report clearly and plainly.
2. Do not sensationalise the way some media houses do.
3. Simple, plain information helps people understand what is going on around them.
4. Work in a team where possible, to increase the impact of your content.
5. Report things that are worth thinking about.

Media cannot reach everywhere, and citizens are often the ones who break the news. For more on how new technology is changing language and media work, see translation in the next 10 years.