“Huis Clos sur le Net” (literally: “In camera”, or “Behind closed doors on the Net”) is an intriguing experiment in which five journalists will be locked away in an isolated French cottage with Twitter and Facebook messages as their only sources of news.
The five-day “Big Brother” style experiment begins on 1 February. The reporters – from radio stations in France, Canada, Switzerland and Belgium – will have no television, radio or newspapers.
The guinea pigs will not be able to use traditional journalist techniques either, such as checking stories directly with the parties involved or against other mainstream news outlets.
Standards and authentication
Besides examining the quality of news as it arises in social networks and micro-blogging sites, the experiment will look at the kinds of standards and techniques needed to verify news arising from these rapidly growing online areas, and how to identify the most reliable sources.
As the organisers put it, “Through this experience, what information emerges from these social networks? Reading the world, in these circumstances, is it relevant?
“Are we informed in the same way as with traditional media? This may be a reflection on the profession of journalism that can be enriched from this experience.”
You can follow the five journalists’ progress on – where else? – Twitter.
