The line of verification: a guide to social media & objectivity

[Update 8.2.2012: Sky News has announced new guidelines on the use of Twitter that is causing an interesting debate – my take on that is here] We all know that the Internet means that there is a superfluity of information out there, much of it partial, inaccurate and even false. There are so many perspectives and complexities around any issue or event that it is nearly impossible to claim an impartial, single ‘correct’ version of reality. So if objectivity is a relative concept, then how does a journalist work out where they stand?