tlcorbinR Bloggers Not Accountable?
April 24th 2008 23:07
Aren't most bloggers ad hoc journalists, novelists, reporters and writers? Or at least perceive themselves to be all of those things?
Blogging as a style of writing is the fair haired spawn of the internet; initially you didn’t really need to be educated, trained or held to any standard. It appeared to require only nuance free passion, interest in a subject, basic lingual skills, a strong desire to share what you think you know and the chutzpah to do so. But what happens when a blogger causes real harm, or worse, does so deliberately?
Media journalists and reporters all write with some interest, but their passion is profit motivated, and because of their potential to affect changes, they’re held to a high standard for accuracy and truthfulness. But, sometimes they get it wrong, very wrong and as a result, it results in their immediate search for a new position and income source.
Novelists have greater literal freedom, but are held to standards appropriate for the industry. Bloggers generally aren’t encumbered with that heavy burden of accountability; but why not?
Are bloggers allowed to freely slander, impugn or malign organizations, politicians or individuals without fear of legal recourse? The right to free speech did not come replete with the right to be abusive as interpreted by some bloggers.
Journalist, reporters, and novelists will be excoriated for their faux pas by their peers and by the law if warranted; but not bloggers. Aren’t we, as bloggers; journalists, novelists, reporters in addition to passionate writers?
Raven
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Comment by katyzzz
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Not to be taken so seriously, Raven.
Comment by Brenton
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an article I wrote on Pro-anorexic culture regularly gets a stack of google traffic so i try to jump in and out to ensure there's no dodgie ads preying on insecurities.
Comment by Kleonaptra
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I love it the way it is - no law and no rules save what the individual says.
REASON - Once, you sat on your couch and whatever news the media decided to show you via TV or radio or newspaper was all you had. You were literally at their mercy. Now 60% of young people are getting their news off the internet, they are checking stories of interest from the points of view of other countries, and you can see what has been broadcast in any place.
And the benefit of having bloggers is that I can search any topic, ANY TOPIC on earth, and as well as current news and the 'official' media standpoint I can find out what a kid from Japan thinks, or a woman in France. I can find out the global climate on any subject at all.
Of course, Im smart enough to use this information and see the value of different perspectives. I think you've even said something similar, that now we can truly appreciate a global climate. We are no longer at the mercy of the media and the opinions of all can be heard and cannot be silenced.
(in a manner of speaking)
I have been the subject of 'rules' and have had to modify my blog. I cant explain how raped I felt over that and it still hurts to see the missing posts. Even I agree they shouldnt have been there, but the slap on the wrist was as humiliating as ever. The damage to my blog inexuseable. So I shudder at your talk of rules and enforcing rules. NO! Let it continue in lawlessness. Orble has rules and Gods and they keep an eye out for really abusive people, thats enough for me.
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Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
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In the mean time I see it as a bit of a parody and a farce.
Comment by tlcorbin
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~ ~ ~
Greetings Brenton, that must have been quite an article. I am always concerned about the impact of my blogs on the collective consciousness; it’s good to know that I am not alone.
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Lady kleo, I do love the free wheeling and free thinking aspect of blogging and I am sure that much of the internet's savvy users check the facts of story’s for themselves, it's that lame and lazy bunch that never quite finish reading a post and suffer a knee jerk reaction and bust loose with the flame wars that should be of concern to all of us.
Censorship is always a shock, but, it just means that you present the same information in a more acceptable manner. I’ve seen your agile mind at work and admire its flexibility. Peer pressure works only with people of sound character.
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Hey James, those are the very WACO for lunch bunch that have me concerned. Well said comment.
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Hi Damo, eh . . . money and getting serious in the same sentence; we can only dream.
Parody, farce, metaphor or symbol, it still has an impact on the collective mindset of modern society.
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Thanks for your comments. I can see this (blogging) becoming a tool of socio mechanics on a massive scale. There, I said it – now my paranoia is visible to the world.
Raven
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Comment by tlcorbin
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Comment by sportsbar
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Fret X
I feel where the lines get blured are official blogs...
Now in this case if something controversial or derogatory was printed there might be repercussions...
But how seriously can they be taken? Media has a written code of ethics - one which they are held up to, bloggers - well anybody can be a blogger - If you have a mobile phone you can add stuff to this world wide web - no matter how old you are or where you are from in the world...
I'd love to see someone try to regulate that!
But as I mentioned, it is the official blogs that might have to be careful.
Good post
Comment by Vanessa@home
So At Home...
With a click you can ruin an innocent child's life or cause morality to succumb to bottom feeders. History proves people are capable of policing themselves just refuse to do it. Its called lawlessness.
But who calls the shots when what is right is a matter of opinion? Just look at the sidebars on Orble for example.
The biggest issue is the double standard that flourishes through Internet investors and search engines, while speaking against bottom feeding they make money by supporting inappropriate and immature content on the web like inappropriate advertising that is generated on sites sneaking it in by the back door. Not an accident. It makes money. People like the stuff. It makes money.
Personal integrity is the answer but it will never override the corruption. It is an uphill battle with no plateau.
But it has to be employed every day or watch the Internet continue to plummet into something that appeals to only the lowest in human beings.
Taking a stand is not for those who crave to be popular at all cost or see money as the point of life on the planet. People know what is right and wrong. It is somewhat of a useless debate.
Comment by tlcorbin
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Hi Vanessa, if the humans were excluded from the equation, would the human race really be that much further ahead? We’re stuck with ourselves. But your points are well made, so what’s the solution? If we let it (the blogesphere) self police and self monitor, which set of rules should we apply?
I am inclined to apply the rules of conscience, journalism, reporting and writing to anyone trying to pass off harmful rhetoric, and regardless of their obvious education or maturity will excoriate those spewing hate, as a matter of personal conviction.
~ ~ ~
Wow, very thoughtful comments. Now you have me rethinking some of my views on the subject. Great.
Raven
Comment by Aldoth
It's All Geek To Me
I do think that there is a way to prevent the more malicious bloggers from doing harm.
I mean If Agnes Whittel age 73 has a Cross Stitching Blog - Dedicated to the fine art of Cross stitching. And on her 112th post she suddenly starts naming the local quiet guy next door as a pedophile and ranting about the need for the modern Nazi Party. This is something that we cant really anticipate.
However if Agnes starts a Lets expose homosexual blog that outs innocent members of her community every day then the community of bloggers and the administrators do have some responsibility to act before she does any harm.
Comment by tlcorbin
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