On Jan. 10, CNN broadcasted a report on a dossier providing unverified allegations that Russian officials were in possession of compromising information about Donald Trump. The report only discussed the summary of the dossier issued to both Barack Obama and Trump, stopping short of publishing the entire file.
Then BuzzFeed stepped in and did just that.
Adding the disclaimer that the dossier’s allegations were unverified, potentially unverifiable, as well as presenting errors, the outlet released the dossier in its entirety to the public.
In a later interview with CNN, BuzzFeed’s editor-in-chief Ben Smith shifted the ethical blame back to the original report, suggesting that the “incredible, explosive claim” behind CNN’s headline inspired the push to publish the dossier.
By publishing an unverified series of allegations, BuzzFeed has violated the guiding and driving value at the heart of journalism: truth.
No amount of disclaimers will cover the fact that this was poor journalism—if such an action even merits the term “journalism”—and its repercussions damage a craft already weakened by fake news crises over the past couple of months.
Journalism’s role in our society as the “fourth estate,” holding government accountable for their actions, must prevail. But holding one accountable for their actions requires, by virtue, a foundation of truth. In BuzzFeed’s article accompanying the dossier, the writers expressed a desire to allow Americans to “make up their own minds about allegations about the president-elect that have circulated at the highest levels of the U.S. government.”
How can one make up their own mind, form and hold a concrete opinion, if the very foundation for that opinion lies on unverified and hence potentially incorrect information?
Should the allegations be verified in the coming weeks, their possible newfound truthfulness does not justify their original publishing. BuzzFeed should have waited until external sources could prove the dossier was verified, or acted like CNN did and refrained from exposing the public to potentially false information.
I am all for the democratization of knowledge and information, however it is our role as journalists to act in the best interest of the public sphere and ensure that the information circulated is truthful. Doing otherwise is a disservice to both the public and the invaluable trust it has given to journalists.
In an age of post-truth politics and a growing distrust of the media instigated by populist political figures such as Trump, now more than ever is the time to adhere to the craft’s strict code of ethics. When government fails to inform the people, it is up to journalists across the world to hunt the truth
BuzzFeed’s actions break journalism’s longstanding tradition and requirement of integrity. Journalistic integrity requires one to err on the side of caution in times of uncertainty, yet remain fearless to ensure the truth prevails in times of certainty and need. Let us take this breach of integrity as a reminder of our duty and obligation to inform the people, lest we lose their trust.
