Armed with a smartphone

Nowadays deliviring the news to the public is not only reporters' jobs and
it is not them anymore who set the agenda. The development of mobile
technology has enabled ordinary citizens who find themselves at the
scene of some event to bring the news to the world. They can post
photos, stories and comments more quickly than paid journalists.
The content and the importance of some news has changed with citizen
journalism too. Their stories are more personal, they sometimes lack
evidence and don't usually include background information unlike
professional journalism.
There are both positive and negative sides of amateur journalism.
One of its positive effects is that it enables people to expose corruption or
cover-ups. The information can spread more quickly when posted on social
media and it can lead to pressure for a positive change.
However, if those claims are made anonymously, and they mostly are if
people are worried for their own safety, it is difficult to verify the
information. Furthermore, sometimes it is hard to trace the source or the
facts are not checked which leads to fake news. They spread quickly and
even though they lack credibility, once they go viral, it is hard to discredit
them as rumours or lies. Misinformation can easily ruin someone's
reputation and this has happened many times over the last few years.
Despite these challenges, citizen journalism has had positive and
democratizing effect. With the freedom that modern technology gives us,
we also have a choice to use it in a conscientious and benevolent way.