(Credit: Twitter)
Reporters, journalists and commentators continue getting in trouble over their social media use, because of either inappropriate or inaccurate posts. This summer has provided several social media apologies or controversies. iMediaEthics collected them below:
1. Jeffrey Lord was fired from CNN, where he was a commentator, after he tweeted the Nazi salute “Sieg Heil!” to Angelo Carusone, the president of progressive media watchdog Media Matters for America. iMediaEthics has written to CNN for comment.
Sieg Heil!
— Jeff Lord (@realJeffreyLord) August 10, 2017
In numerous tweets and an interview with the Associated Press, Lord suggested he was only opposing fascism and Nazism.
Why would I delete something that mocks the Fascists at Media Matters Fascists? Why would you tweet support tying Fascism?
— Jeff Lord (@realJeffreyLord) August 10, 2017
2. Huffington Post contributor Yashar Ali (yes, the one who is being sued by Fox News’ Eric Bolling over his reporting on Bolling), tweeted a lengthy apology to Dana Loesch, talk radio host and National Rifle Association spokesperson. Ali wrongly tweeted last week that Loesch stated she wanted the NRA to “fist” the New York Times in an NRA ad.
Loesch had actually said “fisk” and complained on Twitter Aug. 4 about Ali’s tweet, including a definition of fisk, meaning to refute an argument.
This week, Ali specifically apologized to Loesch for any attacks she received because of his inaccurate tweet. “No question, my tweeting that Dana said ‘fist’ instead of ‘fisk’ led to her getting tweets that were filled with misogynistic attacks,” he tweeted. “For my mistake, I apologize unreservedly to @DLoesch – no one deserves to receive threats of any sort.”
Ali argued that he believed Loesch said fist, and noted the NRA tweeted fist as well, which contributed to his tweet stating so. Ali said he waited a week to apologize “because I was processing what happened and objected personally to anyone saying I lied.”
Loesch responded to Ali’s apology, tweeting that “I appreciate and accept” the apology.
I appreciate and accept @yashar ’s apology. In a climate such as this, it’s important we celebrate civility and give grace. https://t.co/Ph1ZzQrQ0j
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) August 11, 2017
1. Want to follow up on the Dana Loesch fist/fisk situation from last week. It's been bothering me on a number of levels..
— Yashar Ali (@yashar) August 11, 2017
4. No question, my tweeting that Dana said "fist" instead of "fisk" led to her getting tweets that were filled with misogynistic attacks
— Yashar Ali (@yashar) August 11, 2017
5. For my mistake, I apologize unreservedly to @DLoesch – no one deserves to receive threats of any sort.
— Yashar Ali (@yashar) August 11, 2017
3. Jessica Roy, audience engagement editor and writer at the Los Angeles Times apologized and deleted a tweet last month claiming Sen. John McCain told her friend’s husband to move out of Arizona.
“My friend’s husband died of glioblasoma in AZ. They wrote a letter to McCain begging for his help. He advised them to move,” she tweeted July 19, after McCain revealed his brain tumor diagnosis.
In a July 20 two-part apology, Roy wrote, “I deleted an earlier tweet because it did not meet my employer’s standards for verification and publication. I regret what I wrote and sincerely apologize.”
I deleted an earlier tweet because it did not meet my employer's standards for verification and publication. (1/2)
— Jessica Roy (@jessica_roy) July 20, 2017
I regret what I wrote and sincerely apologize. (2/2)
— Jessica Roy (@jessica_roy) July 20, 2017
2. Ira Madison III, a culture writer for The Daily Beast and GQ, apologized after tweeting a picture of White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders adding his own comment, “Butch queen first time in drags at the ball.” White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci had called for an apology at the time.
On July 24, Madison tweeted, “Apologies to Sarah H. Sanders for the ill-judged joke tweeted Fri, deleted this AM. I didn’t mean to offend anyone & I’m sorry that I did!”
Apologies to Sarah H. Sanders for the ill-judged joke tweeted Fri, deleted this AM. I didn't mean to offend anyone & I'm sorry that I did!
— Ira Madison III (@ira) July 25, 2017
