Blogging Code Of Ethics
Press Complaints Director Tim Toulmin summarizes the importance of a self-imposed ‘voluntary code of ethics’ for bloggers by saying “If you want to see how the newspaper industry would look like if it was unchecked, then look at the internet.”
While he is opposed to government regulation of the internet, he does believe that there should be a self-imposed code that would cover accuracy of the content, discrimination and intrusion, among other things.
This is a wonderful idea because it will force bloggers to research their topics more thoroughly and use more restraint when writing.Too often nowadays you see bloggers reporting with inaccurate, incomplete, or unsubstantiated information, which then spreads through the internet like wildfire.
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You’re kidding right? Wonderful?
I will take the speed at which blogs move against a boring newspaper any day of the week.
I do not need a code of ethics to do that.
matt
Sure. But I hope you will take the relative accuracy of newspapers over blogs any day of the week too. Don’t let faked Reuters reports fool you, or rumors stated as fact whet your appetite, only to let you down later.
Such moves instill a sense of legitimacy in online publishing and content writing. The conventional media has this peeve against blog publishers and other online publishers that they use copyrighted content recklessly; so if online content is properly regulated it will enjoy more credibility. Money-wise too it’ll be good for everybody.
A nice idea in principle, but its naive to think that implementation would be anything but a bureaucrat’s pipedream.
A voluntary code could work, especially if bloggers displayed a badge associating themselves with the code after being given that privilege by some sort of board overseeing the implementation of the code. If readers report a badged blogger to this board, which then removes the badge, then the readers will act as the initial enforcement agents.
Bloggers have the same moral obligation not to knowingly lie, misrepresent facts, or commit libel as anyone else who publishes. Some bloggers seem to think blogging is exempt from all that. That’s nonsense. Can anyone produce a single reason why a blogger shouldn’t be held to the same standards as reporters whose work is also published on the web?