The latest hypocritical law passed by French Constitutional Council criminalizes the filming or broadcasting of acts of violence by people other than professional journalists in the name of curbing the phenomenon of ‘happy slapping’. In this clear deliberate message, all citizen journalists are advised to shed their notion of freedom and get ready to face five years in prison and a fine of €75,000 (US$98,537), which is far more than the possible repercussions of the actual crime, if they dare to wash hands in the pool of ‘professional journalism’.

However, the law only cracks down on the use of content for the purpose of “fun” and exempts if the act of filming is indented to inform. But, can anybody now go ahead and do this with the fear of getting behind bars, under one pretext or the other, lingering overhead?

I would say, we will, any law that intends to suppress the voice of people and tries to save the face of governmental agencies cannot be welcomed with open arms.

Professional journalism?

Paris-based international press watchdog, ‘Reporters without Borders’ says:

We recognize the need to prevent the spread of ‘happy slapping,’ but this law introduces a dangerous distinction between professional journalists... and ordinary citizens.... ‘citizen journalists’ can play a role in monitoring the activities of the authorities throughout the world. In the field of human rights, it is [citizen journalists] and not professional journalists who have been responsible for the most reliable reports and information-the information that has most upset the government.

This is indeed ‘ludicrous and laughable’; I wonder how people would react to the new age cyber-police knocking at your doors all the time, apparently dressed in guilty conscience.

If you’re living in France, this law would not come as a surprise, as the nation already breeds harsher privacy laws forbidding you to click your cam even in public places without authorization. However, when it comes to the borderless world of Internet, these laws are ridiculed and are likely to face fury of the masses. Next time your see any violent act walking down the street, do not dare to use your camera phone, do not dare to even meddle or poke your nose, just be a silent spectator and let the so-called ‘professionals’ handle it or move on and celebrate your chained freedom.

OhMyNews reports:

Perhaps, XML guru Dave Winer has a different take on journalism:

Amateur is not below professional. It’s just another way of doing (media). The root of the word amateur is love, and someone who does something for love is an amateur. Someone who does something to pay the bills is a professional. The amateurs have [more integrity than] the professionals. If you’re an amateur you have less conflict of interest and less reason not to tell your truth than if you have to pay the bills and please somebody else.

The status of online journalists is still debated, one cannot claim to harness the freedom of press, doesn’t matter how brilliant he is. We all know that professional journalism, if you call it, has nothing to do with training, achievements or ethics, it’s all about honesty.

The law is just a disguise and I again repeat, as said earlier, that all restrictions imposed are to safeguard interests of governments in some way or the other.

Pastorius reports, ‘there are an average of close to 200 cars torched every night on the streets of France. The casualty rate of the French police force is over three times higher than the casualty rate of the American armed forces in Iraq.’ And they want us to keep mum.

Rising threat to new media and need of own organization

We’re all witness to the fact that attacks on citizen journalists, ostensibly from all avenues, have increased manifold in the recent times and it directly calls to take the issue more seriously then ever before. Moreover, it’s pity that we do not have any strong organization to protect our credibility.

The story doesn’t ends in France, citizen journalists are facing the wrath in different corners of world. The same happened with blogger Josh Wolf who shot an anti-G8 anarchist protest video during G-8 summit 2005 in San Francisco and is facing jail as more or less like a political prisoner.

The need here is to recognize the fact that the thin line, which already had been blasted off by sheer passion of the masses, between the implied notions of the words ‘professional’ and ‘unprofessional’ does not really exist. If I am fixing the tap in my house, it depends on your perception whether to crown me as a professional plumber or someone who simply loves doing his job.

People have been submitting/sharing tips, scoops with news organization with the dawn of media, however, we’ve started recognizing them or rather gave them a special status as ‘citizen journalists’ not long back. And there participation, doesn’t matter how small it is, does matter in bringing out the truth.

With Internet proving the most prolific tool in the hands of the harbingers of new media, some might argue against its rising power. However, they are blind to the fact that if new media has given more freedom to masses, that very freedom is powerful enough to curb the abuse with a single click.

So, we stand on the same platform and share common attributes except one, and that is an ‘Organization’ to safeguard our interests. With the existence of any such body, guiding principles for citizen journalists can be agreed on and they can pitch their voice on the world stage within those confines.

Another reason that calls for an immediate formation of an organization is that today more and more people rely on Internet for news, of course catered by citizen journalists. We can follow the similar line as done by ‘Reporters without Borders’ or even come under its umbrella, if they agree; I don’t see any harm in it.

The trust factor

I agree with Tom Glocer, CEO Reuters, there is no turning back from this new model where Internet has made us all publishers - sometimes of hatred and sometimes of truth. I agree, we cannot dig out the dark corners of the Internet, but in the end, in order to save truth and fact-based journalism from becoming a victim, will forming an organization serve any purpose? Will borders be able to stem the tide or do we really need them? Will these separate islands flooded with voices of free speech and human rights do justice with journalism or the definition has got a severe beating? Any answers?