If asked to define social media, most people would say that—like pornography—they couldn’t define it, but they would know it when they see it. We will discuss the difference between a social media platform and a social media network and then learn the demographics of who goes where for news in order to better understand how audiences aggregate. Then we will learn the foundations for good social media writing in general, how to craft your professional online profile, and where to find good ideas to write about.

Students will be given a complete guide to pitching for freelance journalists, a template pitch letter, and a list of ways to not annoy editors.

We will review student pitches in class and hear about pitching from guest lecturer, freelance journalist Melanie Hamlet.

The most common way journalists are taught to write is using the upside down pyramid. But students will also learn how to master smart brevity. They will also learn the difference between horizontal and vertical storytelling.

This session aims to equip students with the necessary skills to critically analyze and report on the spread of misinformation in the digital age. Using both theoretical exploration and practical exercises, students will develop an understanding of the impact of disinformation on society, the role of journalists in combating it, and how to navigate the challenges of verifying information in an era of alternative facts and fake news.

Students will look at visual and written examples of generative AI. What is it good at? What is it bad at? And what is the future of AI in the newsroom?

Guest speaker Marco Koehler, online privacy advocate and attorney, will come from Berlin to discuss online privacy law, ethics, curating your online presence, and the boundaries of online free speech.

A recent Facebook survey indicated that 30% of users in over 50 countries report difficulty with seeing, hearing, speaking, organizing thoughts, walking or grasping with their hands. Learn how everyone from Facebook to Microsoft incorporate the fundamentals of inclusive design into all their platforms and how individual users incorporate inclusive design into their content. Students will learn how to apply the guidance for web accessibility to the content they create and how accessibility benefits all users irrespective of disability status.

What can social media tell you about someone? Turns out, a lot! In the wake of social media search engines, yet another tool has been developed—social media aggregators, i.e., services that put information from various social media sites together in a powerful form of data mining that allows journalists and others access to what social media users might have thought was closely guarded information. In this class, students will learn how to use basic information such as name, date of birth, email address, or telephone number to locate information about people in OSINT (open-source intelligence). We will also learn how to use reverse image searches and private messaging groups such as Telegram to gather information.

Guest speaker Stefan Petursson, Icelandic climate activist and social media influencer, will show students how to create compelling videos on their smartphone.

Students will read and edit each other's articles, watch student videos, hold classroom discussion, and provide feedback.

Students will read and edit the remainder of each other's articles, watch student videos, hold classroom discussion, and provide feedback.

The final exam will consist of 25 fill in the blank, multiple choice, and essay questions.