Instagram is a popular source for scene-of-crime photos. But Instagram’s in-app search alone makes it difficult to quickly find what journalists are looking for. The ProPublica app for journalists cuts straight to the chase by categorizing pictures by place and time instead of using hashtags and usernames.
This open-source tool exclusively for journalists provides advanced search options on Instagram by location, start and end date, address and the vicinity around it. This app has already helped to attain a photo from the Boston Marathon bombing incident.
ProPublica is a non-profit news organization that prioritizes investigative journalism. This tool was created by ProPublica’s news app developer Al Shaw. The company created a helpful resource to reduce wasted time scavenging through social media when trying to break a news story.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Data-sourced Photo Apps
- Using data analytics to categorize and search photos by location and time, revolutionizing the way journalists and other professionals find useful content on social media platforms.
- Advanced Social Media Search
- Creating open-source tools to help journalists search social media platforms more efficiently and providing valuable content in less time.
- Journalism Innovation
- Developing new tools and strategies for journalists to uncover and report on important news stories using the latest technology.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Media and Journalism
- Tools like ProPublica for Journalists can help media professionals identify and report on important news stories with greater speed and efficiency.
- Technology and Software
- Creating new open-source tools using data analytics can help innovate the way we search and analyze social media platforms.
- Law Enforcement and Public Safety
- Tools like ProPublica for Journalists can help law enforcement officials identify and track potential suspects and criminal activity using social media platforms.
