Join our Twitter blue tick campaign
Freelance journalists, it turns out, are very frustrated!
Last week our newsletter detailing the achievements of a handful of our members who Twitter had rejected for blue tick status seemed to touch a really big nerve.
It seems we’re not the only ones wondering why so many experienced journalists, having worked for decades for some of the biggest publications and broadcasters are not able to get pass the arbitrary gate that is getting that blue verification tick.
On the same day as the newsletter, FFJ co-founder Emma applied for the third time providing the maximum of 10 articles published in verified publications in the past six months and was rejected once more with yet another different reason given. This time, it would appear she was deemed ‘notable’ but the website given as proof of her Twitter account was not good enough. This was especially funny because it was the same website that FFJ co-founder Lily had used when she successfully gained her blue tick the second time round.
Yet more evidence that these decisions are not consistent. So we decided it was time to do something about it and we have started a campaign to hold them accountable. Fed up of being told no without any good reason? Feel that freelancers have a far harder job of proving themselves? Well now you can do something about it.
We are collecting details of freelance journalists who have been rejected and the reasons why. If this is you please do take a minute to fill in our form so we can show just how many of us this is happening to. At the very least they need to take a look at whether their verification processes are working for freelance journalists (who do qualify in their own category). We would also like to see more transparency on exactly what they want, because what works for one person then doesn’t for the next.
Journalism.co.uk have picked up on our campaign and written this detailed article. Twitter’s response suggests they might be taking some steps to make this fairer. We hope this is indeed the case and Emma will try again in January when her 30-day waiting period is up and see if she can convince them via a different route that she is who she says she is.
At FFJ we know that a blue tick doesn’t make you a better journalist or necessarily mean you are an oracle of truth but with so much misinformation and disinformation on social media, it is important that established and experienced journalists are able to get verified. Freelance journalists are the life-blood of most publications who would have no content without us and being treated like second-class citizens on Twitter is incredibly frustrating. If you have struggled to get verified, do fill in our Google form by clicking on the button below. We will keep pushing on this.
On the podcast this week…
We’re talking all about Saying No. We know that this is a hard thing to do when you work for yourself so we chat to freelance journalist and Career Collective founder Lateefah Jean-Baptiste and i like networking founder Isabel Sachs about how, and when, to walk away when a commission or project is not working for you. Listen wherever you usually get your podcasts or click on the button below.
What’s coming up
We are having our FFJ planning meeting for 2022 this week so while there will definitely be lots more podcasts and newsletters, watch this space to learn about other resources, events and networking opportunities that will be coming up next year.
Also we do love to hear from you all, so if there’s anything you think we can help with or a topic you would like to see covered, do either shout in the Facebook community or send us an email at freelancingforjournalists@gmail.com
Triumph of the week
Getting two features booked in for January. Now planning a nice restful Christmas and trying to ignore Omicron news.
That feeling when
An editor you work for sends you a Christmas gift in the post. All the festive feels.
We love to hear your feedback on everything we do, so feel free to drop us an email anytime at freelancingforjournalists@gmail.com
Bye for now!
