At Brazzaville Insider, our mission is to provide accurate, independent, and analytical journalism on Congo-Brazzaville, Africa, the diaspora, and the world. This mission extends beyond our website into the digital spaces where our readers live and engage: social media.
These guidelines outline how we use social platforms, how our community is expected to engage with us, and what we stand for in the fight against disinformation and manipulation.
1. General Guidelines
What We Stand For
- Accuracy and Integrity: Every post we publish is based on verified information and reflects our editorial standards.
- Respect and Inclusion: We value diversity and welcome constructive dialogue from all communities, including voices from Congo’s regions and the diaspora.
- Civic Responsibility: Social media is a tool for public debate. We use it to inform, explain, and connect—not to sensationalize or divide.
- Engagement: We encourage questions, comments, and participation from our readers. Social media should be a space for two-way dialogue, not just broadcasting.
What We Do Not Accept
- Discrimination or Hate Speech: No content or comment targeting individuals or groups based on ethnicity, gender, religion, disability, or orientation will be tolerated.
- Misinformation and Manipulation: We do not publish, share, or amplify false or misleading content.
- Personal Attacks and Harassment: Insults, defamation, or coordinated abuse against journalists, contributors, or other community members will be removed.
- Spam and Irrelevant Promotion: Advertising, repetitive posting, or irrelevant material is not allowed.
What We Fight Against
- Fake News: We actively fact-check and debunk disinformation, especially during sensitive moments like elections.
- Gendered Disinformation: We expose and reject manipulation campaigns targeting women with sexualized or defamatory content.
- Trolls and Bots: Coordinated attempts to distort conversation through automation or harassment will be flagged and reported.
- Polarization: We stand against content designed to inflame divisions instead of informing debate.
2. Platform-Specific Guidelines
a) X (Twitter)
- What We Do:
- Share breaking news, live updates, and short analysis.
- Engage in real-time conversations with policymakers, journalists, and diaspora communities.
- Use threads for deeper context on complex issues (e.g., elections, climate, energy).
- Community Rules:
- Be respectful in replies.
- Do not tag our journalists for harassment.
- Report disinformation—we investigate and, if necessary, debunk.
b) Facebook
- What We Do:
- Share longer articles, multimedia features, and discussion prompts.
- Create spaces for community dialogue across Congo-Brazzaville and the diaspora.
- Host Q&A sessions on major events (e.g., the 2026 elections).
- Community Rules:
- Comments must remain respectful and relevant.
- Content flagged as false by independent fact-checkers may be removed.
- Repeat offenders may be blocked.
c) Reddit
- What We Do:
- Participate in relevant subreddits (Africa, world politics, climate, diaspora).
- Provide links to verified sources and contribute serious analysis.
- Encourage debate while sharing deep-dive reporting.
- Community Rules:
- Follow each subreddit’s rules.
- Avoid personal attacks.
- Add context when sharing links to our articles.
d) YouTube
- What We Do:
- Publish video explainers, interviews, and event coverage.
- Add subtitles for accessibility.
- Organize playlists by theme (politics, climate, society, elections).
- Community Rules:
- Comments are moderated to remove harassment, hate, or misinformation.
- Spam and irrelevant links are deleted.
- Constructive criticism is welcome.
e) TikTok
- What We Do:
- Share short, engaging explainers on complex topics (e.g., Congo Basin, elections).
- Use visuals and storytelling to reach younger audiences.
- Highlight cultural, educational, and youth-focused stories.
- Community Rules:
- Respectful participation only.
- No harassment or inappropriate use of our videos.
- Comments spreading fake news will be reported.
3. Accountability and Moderation
- Moderation decisions are final and guided by fairness, not political or personal preference.
- Readers who feel unfairly treated can raise concerns through the form on our Contact Page.