AP updates guidelines on social media interaction with sources

(A PDF with all of the updates can be found here.)

The new guidelines encourages AP reporters to have accounts on social networks. It also says:

“[Social media sites] have become an essential tool for AP reporters to gather news and share links to our published work. We recommend having one account per network that you use both personally and professionally.”

While there’s nothing that refers to public relations pros specifically, reporters are encouraged to send and accept friend requests from “sources, politicians and newsmakers if necessary for reporting purposes, and to follow them on Twitter.”

The new guidelines also offer guidance on live tweeting and retweeting. Even though no one really thinks a retweet is an endorsement anymore, AP wants its employees to understand that retweets should come with comments.

From the guidelines:

A retweet with no comment of your own can easily be seen as a sign of approval of what you’re relaying.

Examples of retweets that can cause problems: