#28 in a series of background briefs
What's the point of this page?
Many people are so concerned with identifying untrustworthy photos that they overlook the importance of identifying untrustworthy image sources.
Attributes of the most-trusted providers
• The news sections of the most-trusted news publishers in the free world have ALL of these attributes.
• Most areas of most social-media platforms have NONE of these attributes.
• Not all providers that have these attributes are trustworthy — but none of the most-trusted providers lack these attributes.
Who gets to be a trusted provider?
All of the attributes listed below are a matter of choice, not of luck.
Every attribute enumerated here is attainable by any provider who makes no other component more important than credibility.
10 attributes
1. The provider has a reputation for never having published even one image that was implied to be an undoctored photograph but was not in fact an undoctored photograph.
Most viewers will forgive one slip-up if it is well-explained, but after two highly publicized slip-ups, regaining credibility can be difficult.
2. The website, app, or platform is “carefully curated” — that is, the provider is always aware of every piece of content they publish.
Image providers (including photographers) who want to be “trusted” must consider each new addition of content before it is published, asking what that addition will do to the provider’s reputation.
See “pre-checked” vs. “post-checked” and “unchecked”
3. The provider publishes a written correction or apology for any untrustworthy or incorrect items previously published in print or online.
4. The provider is legally liable for all content they put before the public.
5. The provider makes viewers and readers aware of any outside or unseen influence that visitors would want to know about (for example, “sponsored content,” advertisements that look like editorial content, subsidies supplied to the provider or its contributors, etc.).
6. The audience can readily identify actual persons who generate content on behalf of the provider.
•
Unless they have the provider’s specific approval of each instance,
7. no one can add content,
8. no one can alter
content,
9. no one can hide content, and
10. no
one can delete content.
