A citizen journalist is a member of the public who plays an active role in the process of collecting, reporting, analysing, and disseminating news and information. For example, someone using their smartphone to film a protest and upload it to social media is acting as a citizen journalist.
Citizen journalism has become increasingly prevalent with the rise of the internet and social media. It refers to non-professional individuals who report on events and issues. This can be powerful for providing instant, on-the-ground coverage of events that mainstream media may not be present for, but it also raises questions about accuracy, bias, and verification.
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