As a facebook user I don’t think using a person’s facebook page, even if it may be public to that network, is appropriate to use it as part of a story. To truly know who a person is, ask family members, friends, and loved ones, not read through their facebook account to figure out who they are. Knowing someone’s favorite bands does not tell who this person REALLY is.

I belived a Facebook or My Space page is not a legtimate news source.There is so many ways the information could be false,bias,manauplated,etc.Lets hpoe the PD and others news media use great caution on these emotional stories.

not an issue of being a legitimate source - this is all about respect for the dead and I would not have linked to it. The victim does bear some responsibility for leaving his profile unprotected but STLtoday should not be pointing to it. I’m sure the victim’s family does not appreciate it at all.

I don’t think that it was unethical to link Mr. Hummert’s Facebook page. Since it isn’t set to only be viewable by friends, anyone could have gone into their own profile and searched for his.
However, as a journalist, I would not have published his profile link. It may be something that his family and friends now feel protective over. Given a little time, I’m sure those who knew him will want to share what kind of person he was. After all, at its core journalism is about footwork, not Google.

I feel that it is also not something that you put on a link. It is in poor taste in my opinion.

I think Facebook or MySpace can be good sources for photos. If the victim is comfortable enough with those pictures to post them on the internet, I believe he would be comfortable as those being used in news coverage.

I am not sure about the whole linking to his Facebook page, though. I think people have too much morbid curiosity as it is (see any accident on highway for a plethora of rubberneckers). In addition, people can be cold and callous especially behind the anonimity of the internet.. I would hate to see someone posting ignorant messages about this tragedy there, made easier with a link from stltoday.

I was really taken aback when I saw the link to Mr. Hummert’s Facebook page in stltoday’s headlines. If he chose to make his page open for public viewing, the Post is not at all at fault for referring to it. Linking directly to it, though, seems tacky and disrespectful, especially when he’s been gone barely a few hours. Though I’d like to know more about this person, I did not click on the link out of respect for him. I am a Facebook member, but a cautious one. Since joining, I have been stunned at how much people share about themselves! I disagree with the Post’s use of Mr. Hummert’s Facebook page, but I hope it serves as a warning to all those who share too much too freely.

There are a lot of ’sick’ people out there on the internet. To take a tool the family may use to contact friends and family, and put it out there for all. It just invites, the weirdos to harass the family. Do some real journalism! Talk to the family, don’t just search the web. We could do that!

If you can get to it on your own, the paper has every right to provide it for you.

That’s what you get, when you create Facebook and MySpace pages.

One additonal thing…

I do not agree with those who think it is NOT a legitimate source. If one was quoting someone else’s opinion, it is jaded by their personal experience (good or bad). It is NOT appropriate to use MySpace/Facebook info about a second person from one person’s page. However, I think it is appropriate to use such first person information (as well as the pictures) for a story. After all, like the pictures, it is what Ryan Hummert wanted the world to know about him.

for god sakes the top of the facebook says “sign up here to connect with ryan” hes dead. give him a little respect!

Not everyone has a facebook page, so it is not public knowledge. Until you mentioned it I had no idea he had one, nor would I have thought to look him up there. While you may think your readers want to know the “real” Ryan Hummert, chances are they don’t. I don’t. Whether he was 22 or 72 does not matter. It was a senseless killing, of a public servant doing his job. It is tragic and I feel for his family and friends. Now you’ve got loads of people checking out his Facebook page possibly taking pictures to use for other news stories without any consent. Publicly posted or not, it is classless and just goes along with the bottom line in the news industry…whatever sucks ‘em in.

There is no reason for the general reader to need a link to this poor man’s Facebook page. All it does is encourage morbid voyeurism.

Then again, morbid voyeurism seems to be the bread and butter of the media, so my question back to the Post Dispatch is: are you willing to take a hit to your bottom line in the name of being a more classy news source?

You know why Facebook and Myspace pages have become more frequently used sources? Because they are easy for lazy journalists.

I think linking to his Facebook was in no way necessary to report this story. Lacks a bit of class I do believe, I expect something like this out of KSDK, but not the Post. Oh well.

There are no bounds to the poor judgment and lack of class to your ‘newspaper’.
Can’t you guys respect anything?
How totally pathetic and ignorant you all are.

I think those sites are legitimate sources. However, providing a link to his own facebook page crosses a line.

Although I’m not surprised that the PD posted it, I think the posting of Fireman Hummert’s link is an invasion of privacy. I choose not to follow the link because I have a sense of decency and because I’m in no hurry to sell advertising space. Integrity has fled the field of journalism.

What will the Post Dispatch stoop to next? It’s bad enough that you posted his name before all friends and family could be notified. Are you that desperate? What were you thinking????

I don’t see it as an issue. I certainly don’t thin you meant any harm by it. However, it does reak a little of the voyeuristic nature of the press. A persons web page is of their own nature. They set about putting it together. It’s not a window into someones soul but its something tangible to conect people. Linking to it seems a little like the the press saying, “Hey he’s a topical tragedy that you can reach out and touch.” Some good may come from it, if people post well wishes on it for his family. And of course it’s not like this is a private situation. The page is on the web for anyone to see. So I see little harm.

It’s just the perception that it puts out. I’m sure there are a number of people imagining some salivating editor rejoicing at the opportunity to have something tangible to link to to further the story. Not saying thats what happened, just talking about perception. Ultimately, does the facebook page further the story? No, its just an ornament which is why it leads to the perception. I do think journalists need to take a little more into account what furthers a story and whats just voyeuristic. In that manner I wouldn’t have linked it. But this isn’t hurting anyone, it’s not like paparazzi photos of people getting out of their cars.

Yes, the Facebook page is not private. Is it newsworthy? I think not. If linking to a Facebook page is called “journalism”, then the Post is not qualified to call itself a newspaper. I agree with Karens’ post

“You know why Facebook and Myspace pages have become more frequently used sources? Because they are easy for lazy journalists.”
— Karen
2:39 pm July 21st, 2008

Absolutely appropriate and a great way for the public to express sympathy and grief. As we see all the time when someone dies in so tragic and public a manner, people ned a way to reach out and feel a personal sense of connection. Think Princess Diana or the tragedy in Kirkwood or even the happy return of Elizabeth Smart. Early this morning, right after Ryan’s name was released, I instinctively Googled his name to see if there was any information about him. It was not to be voyeristic or salacious but rather to find out who this heroic young man was.

Based on the comments here, it seems that many people are uncomfortable with this practice. Also just read the following commentary on another blog: http://www.unboundedition.com/content/view/7163/50/. There is a bit of an “ick” factor to posting his Facebook link. I think the gut instinct is very important. If it doesn’t feel right, it’s probably not right.

Providing a link to a recently murdered person facebook page is simply sensationalist journalism. Its not a source and I am sure the family of the deceased does not appreciate the additional traffic nor does the deceased friends who are linked to his page.

Not only do you post the link to his Facebook page, but you are holding a forum about it as well? Let’s not forget what happened today…

Another ethical issue involved here is that this is a deep link to a commercial entities internal webpages. Deep linking is already hazy ground legally, and even more so ethically.
A secondary consideration is that a website for a suddenly high profile person may not be a legitimate site. It is not that difficult to copy images, text, and other information that would appear to identify a person; and use such a false site for nefarious purposes. Without validation that the site legitimately belongs to the person, such a link is risky at best.
As a final consideration, Ryan Hummert is dead and can no longer make the decision of whether or not to reveal his account, delete his account, or remove his account from search indexing. His family might be able to make this choice for him, but may not have access to the necessary password to do this. This means that the decision is deep link to his information in this manner is being done without the informed consent of him or his estate.

As a journalism grad myself I feel that this was pure laziness on the part of the PD. Yes, it’s true anyone could have searched and found his page and read about him, and that’s the point. You are no better now than anyone else. You aren’t journalists…just scavengers. Journalists interview and report, not look for the easy way out. Shame on your PD for not doing real reporting on who this kid was.

While definitely not necessary in reporting the story, whatever he put on Facebook is public information. Journalists are not the only ones to use these pages. Employers do; schools do. That’s why people who put up their pages need to exercise some caution. It’s not that private. It’s a terrible tragedy that this young man was killed in the line of duty and his family deserves the time to mourn in private, but some here would rather the media bother them than go to Facebook. How weird is that? Bug the grieving mom and dad, but don’t give people a glimpse of this guy’s personality thru less intrusive means.

Two questions to ask yourself concerning the morality of this…

#1. If it were possible to ask Ryan if exploiting his Facebook is ok, what would he say?

#2. Would you want someone turning *your* Facebook into a public spectacle post-mortem?

I agree with the vast majority of previous posts - totally classless and a lazy way to provide “information.”

But what I find more disrespectful is that fact that now you are using this controversy as a means to debate whether or not it is acceptable. Instead of creating more traffic and attention for yourself, could you not have shown a modicum of respect for Mr. Hummert and a little empathy for his family and friends by taking down the link upon the first complaint?

TOTALLY UNNECESSARY, PD. Public servants risk their lives everyday to serve and protect us all, and this is how you choose to honor the memory?

I see nothing wrong with linking to a facebook or even myspace page. People could just as easily go to facebook and search for the same person by their name and get to the page themselves. Therefore the page isn’t private at all. If a person chooses to set their page private then the link wouldn’t help at all so it’s really a moot point. Remember that anything you type online on a public site is available to the whole world, they just have to look hard enough to find it.

I was shocked to see the link. I have both Facebook and MySpace pages and I know I didn’t sign up for them with the idea that they may be my legacy to strangers should a tragedy befall me. I think it’s morbid curiosity that would fuel anyone to go to his page and I’m disgusted that the Post would encourage this by posting the link on their webpage.

If you want to “quote” his page as a source of background information then do so, and let people make their decisions on your credibility as a news source. If someone wants to find the page on their own, let them do the work to find it. Posting the link and directing people to go there is disrespectful and not responsible journalism. It only reflects negatively on you.

While I would not call it a classless move, or lazy journalism, I would like to compare it to a funeral. Out of decency to a friends memory we often highlight only the positive side of a person. Personality pages such as facebook or myspace may or may not bring that to light. Since he is being honored, I would think that in his case you might want to leave it alone for those freinds of his that would be grieving and would want to connect to it without misc. people dropping by, While I personally wouldn’t be bothered by it, as I would be gone, those that remain may still want that space for themselves.

So I guess in this particular tragedy, I personally would have left it be to those that knew and loved him.

I do not think the link to his facebook page is appropriate. The page may be public, but I agree that the page is for friends. Photos may be on that page that are appropriate for friends, but not the general public. Personally, my page has all the privacy settings set on “high”, and I would not be happy with the situation if it concerned someone I knew. Many people still do not understand that facebook info can become commom public knowledge.

I do think it is fine to link the facebook group set up in his rememberance, as that is a more open group that many people would search for, and invite people to join.

It might not be an invasion of privacy but it shows absolutely no class or respect on the part of the Post-Dispatch.

Don’t post a Facebook link as a stopgap while you hustle together a proper obituary for a man who gave his life for the sake of others.

I’m young. I use Facebook. I’m warned frequently by professors that items on a public profile are _public_ and that care should be taken to represent yourself on such social networks.

Looking through the coverage, I don’t see anything that leads me to believe that the Post-Dispatch is utilizing Facebook as a source. Not only that, but there is plenty of coverage regarding the mourning of friends and family, that I can’t agree with the opinion that the link was put up in lieu of “real coverage” or “real journalism” either.

To me, the links represent something more along the lines of “this was Ryan Hummert and here is where people can get together and communicate with one another.”

Linking to a profile as a resource is not the same as quoting it. In my eyes, this provides a validation of both the community aspect of “social networking” and the mission of journalism to be community-oriented and to provide a service to that community.

http://www.miketigas.com/?p=615

Public. It’s in the public arena. How could it be considered private? But, of course, the information should be handled delicately at a time like this.