Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics are again at the center of controversy after reports emerged today that foreign journalists would be banned from using mobile devices to take pictures and videos and share them on Twitter, Vine or Instagram. However, IOC spokesman Mark Adams denied the claims on Monday: in an email to USA Today, he wrote "accredited media may freely utilise social media platforms or websites for bona fide reporting purposes. Photos taken by accredited photographers may be published for editorial purposes on social media platforms or websites."
The Sochi 2014 controversy emerged when reports emerged Friday that the use of non-professional cameras and social media would lead to reporters being banned from the event. Vasily Konov, editor of RIA Novosti subsidiary R-Sport, told a seminar for sports journalists on Friday that reporters using any amateur mobile devices and sharing across social media would be "considered a serious violation and lead to their accreditation being canceled." However, Konov later denied the statement: Adams' statement makes it clear that there will be no such rules enforced.
In fact, it seems that reporters will be encouraged to share pictures across social media. The IOC spokesman enthusiastically added, "please take as many photos as you like! Sharing pix on social media positively encouraged." Whether this will apply to LGBT journalists and atheletes remains to be seen: technically under Russia's new laws, anyone sharing photgraphs depicting 'non-traditional' sexual to behaviors (i.e. anything related to the LGBT community) is liable to huge fines.
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