Blogging Ethics

Surprisingly, despite the recent, exponential growth of the blogosphere and Internet-based organizing—of which the most recent evidence is Obama’s highly successful online campaign—there is very little analysis available related to ethical principles that could govern new social media.  I am struggling with developing my own set of blogging ethics, since I will need it for my planned work related to using new media tools to promote good governance and anti-corruption in development countries.

It will take time, practice and some mistakes to develop my own set of principles that are specifically adapted to my socio-cultural context and working conditions in the Philippines and Asia. But, as a start, a good set of proposed blogging ethics is presented below. (This was taken from: Kuhn, Martin. C.O.B.E: A Proposed Code of Blogging Ethics. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Law School. Presented at the Blogging, Journalism and Credibility Conference, January 21 and 22, 2005) Its core features seem very consistent with the Code of Ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists.

A PROPOSED CODE OF BLOGGING ETHICS (C.O.B.E.)

 

Promote Free Expression by posting on your blog on a regular basis as well as visiting and posting on other sites in the blogosphere. Avoid restricting access to your blog by certain individuals and groups and never remove posts or comments once they have been published.

 

Be as transparent as possible by revealing any personal affiliations that might effect the opinions you express on your blog.

 

Emphasize the “human” elements in blogging by revealing and maintaining as much of

your identity as is deemed safe; promote equality by not restricting specific users or groups of users form your blog; minimize harm to others by never knowingly hurting or injuring someone with information you make available on your blog; and build community by linking your blog to others, maintaining a blogroll to encourage visitors to your blog to visit others, and by facilitating relationships between you and your readers.

 

Strive for factual truth and never intentionally deceive readers. Make yourself accountable for information you post online. Cite and link to all sources referenced in each blog post, and secure permission before linking to other blogs or web content.

 

Promote interactivity by posting regularly to your blog, honoring such etiquette and

protocol policies that are posted on blogs you visit, and make an effort to be entertaining enough to inspire return visits to your site.