Should bloggers be held to the same code of ethics as professional journalists?

by D Par

Created on: July 28, 2009   Last Updated: July 29, 2009

The idea that a blogger should be held to the same code of ethics as a professional journalist is absurd on so many levels. Fundamentally, bloggers are not journalists and have may freedoms protected for them by the law.

Freedom of speech and the media is given by the First Amendment to the Constitution. This means that bloggers can write whatever they wish as long as it doesn't infringe on the rights of others. Yes, they must avoid slander and libel, but even that is hard to prove for a public figure such as a politician. As long as they follow basic rules and respect the rights of others to some extent, bloggers can write however they wish. Sure, we would love for them to be completely accurate at all times, but we can't require that. Of course bloggers should be unbiased, but even journalists have biases that come through. Plus, who would enforce this new code of ethics on the Internet, in such a vast and complex medium? It's impossible. Will the government try to control what we free citizens write and put online? That makes no sense.

Maybe most importantly, bloggers ARE NOT JOURNALISTS. Journalism is defined (by dictionary.com) as "the occupation of reporting, writing, editing, photographing or broadcasting news." Occupation is defined as "a person's usual or principle work or business, especially as a means of earning a living." Do bloggers report news? At times, yes. Do they learn a living as bloggers? Ninety-nine percent of the time, HELL NO! Furthermore, most people don't have the education to be professional journalists, so it would be unreasonable to hold them to such standards. What's next, holding all swimmers to the standard of Michael Phelps? It's totally and utterly ridiculous. If you're a blogger doing something on your own, you should not be held to some "code of ethics" of professional journalists. Blogs trying to get recognition may hold themselves to a higher legitimate standard, but that's a choice an individual blog should make.

Blogs are about opinion and spin, not hardcore facts. If you want to get facts, go to CNN or the BBC, not a blog. If you actually go to blogs for primary information and accurate news, you should first get your head checked then be tested for crack cocaine. Why anyone would treat a blog as a news source is beyond me. Bloggers will always paint an inaccurate picture that will favor their own opinions. If it really bothers you, then DON'T GO TO THAT BLOG. It's that simple. Just don't go and see that biased information. Plus, a blog can be corrected in seconds, whereas a newspaper cannot correct itself until 24 hours later.

For many reasons outlined, bloggers should be categorized differently and not be held to professional journalist standards and codes of ethics.

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