Blogging in my Opinion

Blogging Personal Opinion Column

Article 1 – Blogging, What is it?

Question 1 – What motivates people to create blogs?

For me the thing that would motivate me to Blog is having the opportunity to have a free and open atmosphere and public forum in which to present my opinions and I will have an audience and get response; these would probably be opinions and thoughts on things that I really feel strongly about. I also hope that in some way, if it is a blog for questions or advice and it’s something I’ve experienced, that I can help someone in some way. I read them because I’m curious to see if others are feeling the same about the things that are important to me; personal choice plays a huge role in what I blog or the blogs I read. It also provides a connection to folks I would have never had the opportunity to connect with right from where I’m sitting. I will admit that I am cautious and do not normally blog on personal sites such as Facebook or My Space where personal information and pictures are shared. I’m uncomfortable with it and others have lost jobs, not gotten jobs, or have had other consequences for things on those types of blogs (for instance, the Olympic swimmer who made national news because of an inappropriate picture that was posted).

It is I believe the same for others, they have opinions they want to share, they are curious about what others think, they relish the place where they have an audience, and I think on a higher level, like me, they hope that they are doing some good.

Question 2 – Do bloggers have ethical responsibilities for accuracy?

I believe they do, especially if the blog is advice of a helping nature like medical or support groups, or actually the more I think about it, we all do. They not only have it for accuracy but for responsible choice of what they are putting on blogs like pictures, etc. Blogging can have a domino reaction to it. Our opinions, thoughts, and presentation of our perception of information (words, pictures, etc. on blogs) of what’s going on around us could directly affect someone else especially if there are visuals with our personal blogs. Suppose you were a senior in college and at a party and a friend took some pictures and posted them on their personal blog, a potential employer could see the pictures and you could loose the opportunity, was your friend responsible to have put the pictures up? They probably felt since it was their blog and their pictures it was okay, however, it turned out to be irresponsible because the potential employer looking at the photos perceived them to be something else or perhaps what they actually were and you weren’t aware your friend put them up; hence, the domino reaction.

Question 3 - Has the blog made an impact on how people use the web? Do blogs encourage a more participative culture and collective intelligence online?

Sure it has, people now use the web as an available audience to discuss what’s on their minds. Before we were confined to our immediate, personal, work, and social circle, now the world is there with an ear. It is for this reason that blogging encourages the participative culture, there are hundreds of opinions out there and you can search for and respond to those you want, from your home, all day if you want and it’s not just an immediate circle but the entire world. Collective intelligence naturally follows the participation and availability of audience. Once several folks respond to a subject, collective intelligence is occurring, especially if it is of advice or support nature. Think of a group for foundation like the American Cancer Society, their bloggings certainly provide valuable and helpful information for anyone concerned with the subject. Even the Survivor forum that we read about was collective intelligence, information from all fans involved on the forum brought together to solve the mystery of who is going to win Survivor. All facts, information and yes even some opinion was brought together with a click of a mouse, participation and intelligence in one place.

Question 4– How is the blog an example of digital convergence?

It’s a product of digital convergence. Its success is due to technological tools both the original of the WWW mixed with the new of blogging tools, it has affected all aspects of our society and our culture, politics, producers, and consumers have all jumped on board. It is a participative culture, has collective intelligence and has converged information from every medium that has existed, radio, TV, etc. into one place. Also it will continue to change and evolve.

Article 2 -A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Blog.

Question 1. – What are the ethical implications of blogs? Should people be mindful of offensive content?

The ethical implication of blogs is that others will view, perceive, and possibly act on the information you put out there. Therefore, it is important that you consider this before you blog; your blogging could be effective in a consequence or reaction you didn’t expect. Someone who provide information say on a medication and they haven’t had medical background or know the facts could do real harm to someone who perceived their information to be true and accurate. There is also the chance that it could come back to bite you as in the Olympic swimmer. It is the same for offensive content, you have to remember that the whole world is your audience, if you are a teacher, your school board, or even students could be reading what you write, this can have consequences.

There are also good implications such as the follow through of many groups to plan to meet face to face to discuss information, friendships are formed and bonds made.

Question 2 – Does blogging elicit civic and community engagement? Or, does blogging draw the blogger into the online world and away from the community?

Blogging can draw you closer and has the ability to enable you to become more involved. Because it provides collective information in one spot you will be aware of subjects and things going on that you might not have been otherwise and therefore, chose to become involved because it is important to you. It may help you make decisions about what is going on in your community or perhaps with an organization and you decide to vote a certain way or help the organization. It has the ability to draw you into the community. On the other hand, if you are a blogger who does only that and are on the computer 24/7 giving opinions and not choosing to become involved and get out there it is doing the opposite for you. However, this is personal choice and I think that is the key. You make the choice whether you stay in the online world or use it to become involved on a civic or personal level.

Question 3 – Should the administrator of the blog have the right to edit posts by others? Does this make the blog less authentic?

This is a personal opinion question and each blogger will feel differently; however what it boils down to is that if the blogger owns the blogging site, he or she has the ability to edit and delete posts that they feel are offensive. Their actions will have reactions, if those blogging on their sites feel they are taking too much control and exercising dictatorship in the area of freedom of speech, they will choose not to utilize or blog on that site which could destroy its level of participation and membership. That being said, I do feel that administrators should remove information that is harmful and overly offensive, I think of information that may be harmful to younger people reading, or someone who is making it a point to cause discourse and havoc. Each person feels differently and will act accordingly. I dislike offensive posts that go against what I feel my values are and others may find them fine, its personal choice and opinion. That being said, if an administrator wants total authenticity without any editing, they can always put on a disclaimer that what you see is what you get and there will be no editing. Then it is each bloggers choice to participate in that particular blog.