As iMediaEthics wrote earlier this month, the UK media regulatory body the Press Complaints Commission may start regulating reporters’ and news outlets’ tweets.  We wrote to the PCC’s communications director, Jonathan Collett, for more information about this possibility.

Collett explained that the “newspaper and magazine industry” in the UK determines what the PCC regulates and would approve any call for the PCC to regulate tweets.  As Collett wrote, a PCC committee for online working suggested UK newspapers and magazines clearly define social networking policies for staff and suggested that the PCC regulate “editorially controlled” or news outlet-associated social media accounts.

The industry has the vote on if it accepts the recommendation for the PCC to regulate tweets and social media postings, according to Collett.  Collett added that “we cannot comment about the likely timeframe or other practical questions as these are a matter for the industry.”