#bbcsms: A catalyst, not a conference

I had the idea for today's BBC Social Media Summit (#bbcsms) over six months ago. I wanted to organise an event that would lead to concrete outcomes. I've been to conferences where I've left feeling inspired, challenged, with a pocket full of business cards, but then found that little changed when I returned to work the next day.

This summit, both the closed event for active social media producers today and the open conference tomorrow, has been designed with potential outcomes in mind from the very start.

Some of the outcomes I see emerging are:

- A universally accepted set of verification guidelines for social media material

- An accepted ethical framework for using sensitive material from social networks

- Advice for managing the legal issues related to privacy and defamation

- Disaster/emergency networks that enable media organisations to work together during serious crises, in terms of disseminating information most effectively

- The creation of research partnerships so academics can gain access to media professionals, newsrooms and data sets.

Do these ideas have legs? Do you think these would help you in your work? Do you think they are necessary?

There clearly needs to be discussion around guidelines versus laws versus frameworks versus best working practice. But, putting that aside, I believe an initiative in this area would increase levels of trust, transparency and relevance, ultimately resulting in stronger journalism.

Summit attendees and the community watching online might decide these ideas are pipedreams - unworkable, unsustainable, and just down right unrealistic. If that is the consensus, I'll be pleased that at least we put these suggestions out and tried.

But maybe there will be more than that. Maybe someone from a news programme will welcome a researcher in for two months to study audience engagement via social media. Maybe representatives from the major UK broadcasters will meet at the coffee bar and agree the need for an emergency planning session to discuss what to do if the worst did happen. Or maybe someone from a journalism think-tank will draft some tentative guidelines around the ethical practices used around social networks.

Worst case scenario: we have some great discussions. Best case scenario: we actually do some things together.

The BBC Social Media Summit (#bbcsms) is being held on the 19 and 20 May.

Claire Wardle is a freelance trainer and researcher working with the BBC College of Journalism and specialising in social media. She was previously at Cardiff University School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies, where she holds an honorary lecturer position.