The age of vitriol: Edward Luce on US politics and social media

https://www.ft.com/content/c0052e1e-a14b-11e6-86d5-4e36b35c3550

Social media is enabling prejudice to slip back into the mainstream. As the US goes to the polls, what does this mean for democracy?

10 facts about the changing digital news landscape

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/09/14/facts-about-the-changing-digital-news-landscape/

About four-in-ten Americans now often get news online.

Mobile is becoming a preferred device for digital news

Long-form journalism has a place in today’s mobile-centric society.

 More than half (55%) of U.S. smartphone users get news alerts, but few get them frequently.

Social media, particularly Facebook, is now a common news source.

• Overall, 62% of U.S. adults get news on social media, and
• 18% do so often
• However, news plays a varying role across the social networking sites studied.
• Two-thirds of Facebook users (66%) get news on the site, which amounts to
• 44% of the general population.
• Nearly as many Twitter users say they get news on Twitter (59%), but
• due to Twitter’s smaller user base this translates to just 9% of the general population.

Jay Roeen on NYT, Twitter and opinion

Yesterday the New York Times editor for standards sent out a memo warning all newsroom staff to be careful about ever expressing an opinion about the election. In its way it is an extraordinary document, dictating the terms of self-censorship for Times journalists.
Among the claims it makes: You may think your Facebook page is your space, but you're wrong. ("Everything we do in public is likely to be associated with The Times.") Even if your work at the Times has nothing to do with political coverage you carry the political responsibility to remain publicly neutral. And, most extraordinary to me, even your sharing and linking actions on social media are danger zones. Here's the memo:
http://www.nytimes.com/…/liz-spayd-new-york-times-public-ed…
Listen to what it says: "If you are linking to other sources, aim to reflect a diverse collection of viewpoints. Sharing a range of news, opinions or satire from others is usually fine. But consistently linking only to one side of a debate can leave the impression that you, too, are taking sides."

The Associated Press has deleted that 2-week-old Clinton tweet

The Associated Press has deleted that 2-week-old Clinton tweet

After facing blowback from journalists and others who criticized a tweet promoting a story about Hillary Clinton's tenure as Secretary of State, The Association Press announced today it's deleting the tweet.
John Daniszewski, the AP's vice president for standards, explained the decision in a post on the news cooperative's official blog, saying the tweet omitted "essential context."

‘Leave the Editorializing to Our Colleagues on the Opinion Side’

For the second time in three months, The Times’s associate managing editor for standards sent a note out to the newsroom Wednesday morning warning journalists to avoid offering up their own political opinions through Twitter, Facebook or other social media. The standards editor, Phil Corbett, says no particular incident prompted the note.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/08/public-editor/liz-spayd-new-york-times-public-editor-social-media.html?_r=2

Washington Post dings ‘unacceptable’ tweet from Dave Weigel

http://www.poynter.org/2016/washington-post-dings-unacceptable-tweet-from-dave-weigel/428838/

The Washington Post this week reminded employees their online behavior is an extension of their professional lives after a tweet from reporter Dave Weigel drew pushback from readers on social media.

The tweet, which also drew some amens, was launched Tuesday in response to the drubbing of Florida congressional candidate Dan Bongino, calling the defeated ex-Secret Service agent a "lying, pathetic loser."