Sunday, March 12, 2006

Glover at Beltway Blogroll takes the view that (1) "bloggers must disclose the trip" and that (2) "bloggers who cover government affairs never should have accepted the trip in the first place".

(1) is perfectly reasonable. Indeed, disclosure is an ethical standard and a basic courtesy.

(2), however, is far different. Glover makes the common mistake of conflating bloggers with journalists; blogger ethics with journalistic ethics, as if blogging is a profession with the attending responsibilities and universally accepted standards. That's just not the case. As much as we might occassionally like to be treated as, and feted alongside, professional journalists — and despite the fact that bloggers sometimes do similar work — blogging has no more incumbent ethical obligations than does emailing or merely talking with friends.

Blogging may be different in format, but it is no different in nature than any other comment. I have no obligations as a blogger that I do not have as an individual; no standards as a blogger other than those I have as a fellow who likes to discuss news, government and philosophy. Whether I address myself to a friend via email, a stranger at the gym or an audience on the internet, my ethical obligations do not change. Journalists have different ethical standards, because their profession — both consumers and producers — insists upon it.

Blogger-critic Daniel Glover countered that "Too many public affairs bloggers are interested only in condemning the ethical lapses of others, especially journalists and politicians.

"Those bloggers won't even consider the possibility that as they gain access and influence, their own ethics could be compromised. Even worse, they ridicule and attempt to ostracize anyone who dares suggest that bloggers may be susceptible to manipulation, whether knowingly or unknowingly. That's exactly the kind of hubris that ultimately leads to ethical breaches and outright corruption."

Daniel Glover believes bloggers "should be talking amongst themselves to try to establish some norms, and I don't get the sense that many of them are or want to."

As more bloggers begin to publish on the Internet, and as some become better established with large readership, an organization such as the Poynter Institute might be enlisted for guidance. It has an ethics adviser on call at an 800 number, and its advice on blogger transparency should be heeded.

In order to gain credibility, you need both character and competence. One isn't enough. You need both. And the good news is that each of us can grow in our character -- and each of us can work to gain the experience needed to be a better leader in the future.

posted by Shaun Kenney | 3/12/2006 11:54:00 AM | 2 comments

JEFFERSONIAD POLL: Whom do you support for Virginia Attorney General?

About

Contact

E-mail
RSS/Atom Feed

The Jeffersoniad

Archives