Bloggers' Code of Ethics: A Starting Point
As your Guest Blogger this week, I'm tasked with facilitating a discussion on the Blogger's Code of Ethics.
This turns out to be a daunting task, because there are dozens of codes of ethics floating around out there. I searched for “Blogger's Code of Ethics” (exact match) on Google and got 5130 hits.
So, let's start by agreeing on one. Because
- I think this is one of the most comprehensive and readable of those I've seen,
- It's a site that understands SEO well enough to come up first in that search string,
- It's the work of an organization and not an individual,
- And because we need to have a basis for the conversation.
I'm going to arbitrarily suggest that we focus our discussion on the Code of Ethics found at the Online News Association.
For me, one of the key points to consider in a discussion of ethics and blogging is pretty far down their list:
- Disclose conflicts of interest, affiliations, activities and personal agendas
In other words, if a blogger stands to gain financially, that relationship should be disclosed. I would like to see that rule applied not only to bloggers, but to mainstream media. I've blogged in the past about some commentators who haven't disclosed their financial relationships.
I bet we can get some good discussion going here. But first, who am I to be telling you this?
- Blogger since 2004 on ethics politics, media, and marketing
- Award-wining author of a relevant book, Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First (it shows how ethics can led to business success)–and six other books
- Founder of the international Business Ethics Pledge campaign
- Owner for 26 years of a marketing/publishing consulting and copywriting firm that focuses on ethical, affordable, and effective marketing methods
And now — it's your turn.
Hi Seth,
Thank you so much for taking the helm of the blog this week. It's great.
Just so you know, I am not Steve O'Keef. I'm Steve O'Keef's ghost blogger. Steve O'Keef expresses his regrets that he could not be here to blog with you today. What he actually said was, “Take care of this,” and so here I am!
Full Disclosure: I should mention that my post is being sponsored today by BlogBonanza. BlogBonanza is a pay-per-post company and I will give anyone five bucks for using the BlogBonanza name three times in a single post.
Steve O'Keef thinks it is okay for people to use ghost bloggers and pay-per-post sponsorships (or else I wouldn't be here). It allows busy executives like him to come in late and still get their blogging out on time. I'm a little tardy with this post, which Steve O'Keef says must be uploaded by 6 a.m. Eastern Time so he looks on the ball. In the interest of full disclosure that you so convincingly promote, Seth, I am going to tweak the timecode on this comment so I don't get fired.
Anyway, it is great to have you here, Seth. It's great to have BlogBonanza as a sponsor, too, and I should mention I get an extra five bucks if the word “great” appears within three words of BlogBonanza in this comment.
And, yes, I know your name is not “Seth” — you are Shel. Blame Seth Godin. Because Seth Godin doesn't accept comments on his blog, Steve O'Keef says the only way to get Seth Godin's attention is to use his name three times in a post or comment.
ThankYou*,
STEVE O'KEEF
This comment contains ghost-blogged content.
*This sig brought to you by ThankYou.com, brining adorable furry animals and single people together online for over a quarter century. “Thank You ThankYou.com!”
Glad to hear that you know my name. Do you know yours? It's usually spelled with an e at the end..
I'd have to ask Seth Godin whether it's really true that to get the attention of Seth Godin, you have to use Seth Godin's name three times in a post. Never met him.
So maybe today, you'll comment on the substance of my post
Shel,
This is the real Steve O'Keefe here — not my ghost blogger — and I think the Bloggers Code of Ethics you point to stinks.
It's way too long, way too vague, impossible to adhere to and impossible to enforce. Here's just one of their 19 guidelines:
“Distinguish factual information and commentary from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines between the two.”
Shun hybrids? Honestly, that would be every website with Google search, or Google ads, or BlogAds, or sponsors, or any site that displays a logo of another company.
Couldn't it all be cut down to “do not deceive people”?
Ghost-Blogger Free,
It's Just Me,
STEVE O'KEEFE
Yes it could, but then we'd have to rely on people having enough common sense to determine that, for instance, blurring the line between ad and editorial is a deception..
I guess I'd rather err on the side of wordy clarity
Is there a different Code of Ethics you like better?
Leave your response!
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