Abstract

The Social Media Guidelines are the instructions provided by the Finnish News Agency (STT) for its journalists working on social media. The Guidelines emphasize both the importance of social media in reaching and interacting with audiences and the need for journalists to remember that, regardless of their various roles on social media, they are easily seen as representatives of their employers. Therefore, the Guidelines remind journalists that presenting strong opinions can undermine trust in both the journalists and, by extension, STT. Additionally, the Guidelines provide instructions on how information gathered from social media can be used in journalism.