Governing Outside of the blogosphere

Who am I….why am I here?

Is Social Media… “Media”

Traditional Media

Journalism Defined / Standards Traditional Media Journalism Defined / Standards Journalism is the activity of gathering, assessing, creating, and presenting news and information. It is also the product of these activities. American Press Institute. Society of Professional Journalists Seek Truth and Report it Accuracy Seek out subjects to respond to allegations Identify sources Distinguish between advocacy and news reporting Minimize Harm Act Independently Be Accountable

WHERE DO PEOPLE GET THEIR NEWS?

Social Media Crossover When Social Media Gets Traditional Media Attention

“Undrinkable”

POLITICAL ADVOCATE / OPPONENT WATCHDOG ORGANIZATION What is my response? THE VERY ANGRY PERSON CONCERNED CITIZEN POLITICAL ADVOCATE / OPPONENT WATCHDOG ORGANIZATION

What is my response? Key concepts General Guidelines Know what/who you are responding to You can control your response…not the post You can respond publicly, privately, or not at all Consider and determine the audience Balance escalation with the need to provide additional information or “your side of the story” General Guidelines Respond in moderation Do not respond immediately Review and carefully consider your response before hitting the send button Stay on the issues, not the personalities

Argument Exercise

Newspaper Anonymous Comments

Don’t Let FOIA or OMA Trip You Up Freedom of Information Act FOIA is designed to be a quick and easy method for citizens individuals to get documents from public bodies. Ensure your community has strong policies to timely respond to and track requests. How many requests are too many? What if a request is unduly burdensome? How do we handle and avoid requests for review? Open Meetings Act

Public Comment

Public Comment Adopt public comment rules Adopt reasonable time limits for public comment Do not discriminate

Lessons Learned

Defamation

Defamation Defamation Claim And for public officials… Defendant made a false statement about the Plaintiff; Defendant made an unprivileged publication of that statement to a third party; and The publication caused damages. And for public officials… The statement was made with actual malice.

Defamation (The “Anonymous” Defamer)

Defamation (The “Anonymous” Defamer)

Defamation Citizen Participation Act

Defamation

Man in the Arena It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. Theodore Roosevelt, Citizenship in a Republic

Questions Jeffrey R. Jurgens Gregory E. Moredock Gabriel H. Neibergall Sorling Northrup Phone: (217) 544-1144 Email: jrjurgens@sorlinglaw.com