There’s going to have to be a discussion about it, but for now it’s all protected activity and emerging freelancers need support.

That said it’s more than once that I’ve seen protesters suddenly say they’re press when it suits them, and those people are dangerous to everyone. https://twitter.com/seadvm/status/1349760896172777475

The trouble is that since newsrooms are laying everyone off in recent years the lines blur

If I go to a place without a commission what’s the ethical difference between me and some dude with a YouTube channel? What if they’ve got a million subscribers?

It often comes down to credentials and personal networks with a nod to experience: I’m an award-winning writer and photojournalist with bylines and photo credits all over the world, and I work with pro gear. I’m obviously working press and I’m Googleable.

It’s a new issue because a few decades ago most people wouldn’t take a camera out and try to claim press credentials unless they wanted that line of work; now anyone can take video or stills and plenty of people fall into the business accidentally

it’s inevitable that would-be or emerging freelancers are going to be just people out there learning until they make it; there’s a lot of peer support but not much by way of training for people who don’t go to j school or start at a masthead

Lord knows I learned in the field

But with that said, people who don’t intend to move like journalists and put in journalistic work - by which I mean the endless hours of research and data management and pitching and fact checking -

Those people saying they’re journos risks the rest of us.

In fact I’ve changed how I work to compensate for it; I used to keep my gear hidden as much as possible so it wouldn’t get snatched or broken, now I keep it out as much as possible so that I’m clearly working press with pro gear. Which is risky in some situations!

I don’t think the profession has really worked out how to categorize folks yet, and I think we’re going to have to sooner than later

Meantime, I like when people self-ID as citizen journalists. That seems like a good descriptor.

But all 1amendment protections apply to everyone.

And if you’re a amateur or accidental journo who wants to go pro: just talk to local reporters. I’ve rarely met a reporter or photog on location who isn’t interested in helping new folks out.