Most of us are aware that the way we receive news and information has changed enormously since our parents were our age. And, since you are reading this blog, you are certainly aware that blogs have become a very popular mean of communicating ideas, stories, journalism, and just about anything else you want to post for the world to see. I personally like blogs and believe they are doing good things for the internet world. However, there is still a large amount of people who do not trust blogs and do not consider them a real form of journalism. Why? Because you really can’t trust everything you read on the internet. How many times have you read something online and wondered if it were true or not? For me, this happens too frequently. I see this as a problem. The good news is that there is a solution to this problem. And the solution is a weblog code of ethics.
A post made on Rebecca’s Pocket back in 2002, sums up quite well what this type of code of ethics would look like. Even though it was from 6 years ago, Rebecca really hit the nail on the head and there is little I would change about her work.
Here the 6 rules of online ethical behavior for all publishers are outlined:
1. Publish as fact only that which you believe to be true.
2. If material exists online, link to it when you reference it.
3. Publicly correct any misinformation.
4. Write each entry as if it could not be changed; add to, but do not re-write or delete any entry.
5. Disclose any conflict of interest.
6. Note questionable and biased sources.
As you can see, these are not rules that are hard to follow. They are simply a way to ensure trust in the blogs that are published and help to boost the respect that blogs deserve. Afterall, blogging is the newest form of journalism and they are required to abide by codes of ethics like the SPJ and the PRSA, so why shouldn’t bloggers?
It is becoming more and more frequent that bloggers are the ones breaking news stories. Remember the Monica Lewinsky scandal? That story was uncovered thanks to a blogger. If journalists are going to be using tips from blogs, it is important that they can be trusted. Additionally, it is becoming more popular that people receive their political information and news from blogs. Especially with this year’s election, it is very important that the information received on political blogs is accurate. Adhering to a code of ethics would increase the trust of blogs.
Simply put, if blogs are going to continue in popularity and people are going to believe what is written online, ethical guidelines need to be followed. This wouldn’t limit creativity of freedom of expression- it is just requiring that sources are cited, honest work is posted and any conflict of interest is disclosed.
Ethics isn’t hard to do, but it can make a world of difference. I urge you to spread the word about blogging ethics and if you are a blogger yourself, please take the time to cite sources and take credit for your work only. If everyone does their part, the blogosphere will gain so much more respect, in turn hopefully helping with each bloggers readership levels.
Hi, Nicole — like Kendra, your argument presents a simple code for review/analysis/comment … this is an excellent format for a blog post, because it invites conversation!
Thanks Kathy- I was hoping to spark some conversation!