A TRAVEL BLOGGER’S TAKE ON RESPONSIBLE BLOGGING| MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Contents
Responsible Blogging: What You Share Affects Others
We live in an interconnected world weaved by connections we do not see. While this connection is most ostensive among people you shared bonds with, even seemingly strangers can be affected by you and you by them. It’s practically a ripple we call cause-and-effect or a simple logic of action and reaction.
Although we may be made aware of this reality at a personal level with our day-to-day interactions with various people, the magnitude of this inherent power is magnified by the technology we now use: commonly, the blog.
Words, as they say, is powerful. This is perhaps truer still if you have a wide audience of readers who view you as a kind of authority and see your words as a kind of synthesis which shape their world.
The author with 30 other International Bloggers who won the Kerala Blog Express Season 3 (Kerala,India). The winners were choosen being the most influencial bloggers in their country.
Power and Responsibility
As a blogger who have many readers and following, you possess a kind of power which history has shown was formerly of those bold enough to face the crowd. No words may come out of your mouth but the blogs you publish speaks audibly to your readers. You are only less visible and audible but not less as effective.
But, like anything which gives us power, there is an accompanying responsibility for its use. Lest we abuse it and potentially cause harm to others and ourselves. You could harm others with your words but other can also resort to the same means to you as a backlash.
Power without discretion is corruptive and nobody is immune to it.
You had probably heard of successful celebrities brought to ruin because of bad press. Bloggers are not any different. With the power to tap into people’s awareness, a blog, to a certain extent, is considered a form of journalism that can either build or break any person or even establishments.
Even the 1830’s English author, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, believes that words—more than violence—is powerful, especially when he coined the age-old adage, “Pen is mightier than the sword.”
Receiving the Globe Media Excellence Award as 2017 Blogger of the Year
The Call to Be Responsible Bloggers
At the present, there is no central authority which governs the quality of each blog being published in the blogosphere. This gives people the freedom to publish what they want in a manner possible to them.
This much freedom gives individuals to exercise their given powers without restraint and itself is the problem.
To be an accountable blogger need not have to be a difficult thing if you know the basic principles of responsible blogging. Commonly, it only boils down to the following ideas:
- Know how to validate your facts before publishing your content
- Respect Copyright Law when necessary
- Give proper credit for whom credit is due
- Know the possible implications or ramifications of your content (to post or not to post?)
- Do not resort to dirty internet marketing tactics
- Respect your readers. While opinions are encouraged but insults based on race, sex and sexual orientation, beliefs, religions, etc must be avoided.
- Use good judgment especially when dealing with reactions and comments to your post.
It is high time that discipline should start from every blogger, in the absence of actual mediating authority. As for me, I vow to do my share and in my small circle of influence, I will strive to make a difference.
The author, winning the First TAT Newsroom Blogger Campaign by TAT Thailand. Other winners were from Russia, France, Malaysia, Singapore and India
Thank you Sir Jojo!. I haven’t realize how much of an infuence you have been on until I read your articles. You are an inspiration to fellow bloggers who havent as yet attained your achievements. Thank you for pointing out the basic principles on how to become a Responsible Bloggers. I wish there are many bloggers with the same mind and positive outlook that you have. God bless and more power in blogging Sir 🙂
Good tips and much needed in today’s world
OMG! Blogger of the Year!!! What can say? It’s been a long Dude since I stopped blogging but you are still here getting stronger and bigger. Each time I visit your blog I can see a new win. The last time was when you won in Kerala, India..then in Thailand…I also noticed that you also won the Lagawan being the second place Best Blog 2016…why 2nd place? why not the Best Blog of the Year? hahaha. wow, you have all my admiration. I think the competition for Lagawan is up again, this time I hope you will really get their highest award- BEST BLOG OF THE YEAR!!! —- on your topic? you have all that it takes to be called a model blogger..these bloggers who are irresponsible won’t stay long anyway.Lol
Congratulations sir on all of your achievements as a blogger. You are not only a good mentor, but being a blogger showed another facet of you. I only thought in the past that you are contained in a world of management and art. You deserved all the recognition you’ve achieved and worthy emulating as a blogger. I haven’t seen any irresponsible post from any of your blogs. Keep up the good work.
Thank you Rose, that s really heartwarming. You know how much effort I put in in all of my blogs, spending almost 15 hours/day for writing and doing the SEO. I also made try to be pleasant …Happy Trip always, Lol!
This is really true. No offense to others, they just open a site and called themselves bloggers. Nothing against them, but others were totally irresponsible. The good bloggers are now suffering from the behavior of others who do nothing but spread the fake news in support of their idol. Idolatrous!!!
Hahaha, thank you, Rene. With all due respect to my colleagues in blogging, there are still many who are true and are responsible. We need to support these people so that they will continue to be truthful 🙂
There is a certain amount of privilege that comes with blogging especially when writing about travel. Being aware of that privilege and using it for good can make all the difference in the lives of others.
Oh Thank you Aitza. Yes, many people may not be aware of that. Promoting places and destinations actually generate job and I am so happy to make a difference even people won’t notice it.
It’s quite easy to open a blog and become a blogger. But we also knew who are the authorities and worth following. It’s sad sometimes that not all have the gift of discernment of what is the truth and what is fake. Thank you for this post. Hope that many bloggers will read this. Kudos.
Thank you, Sheena and you are really right. Soon people will just discern ( I am praying) and only those that are legit will stay.
I agree with you. Some people like you who has many followers should really take into consideration of what you write. I just read on FB few weeks ago about a post of a certain Chef saying not so nice things about others and she has a lot of followers. She could have been a very good influencers if she just use her social media power properly.
Lol, I think I also saw that post. Well, I just wanted to stay happy and avoid such circus in the social media. While others wanted it because it will make them more popular, but I guess it’s not worth it. Thank you for dropping Lyn.
Yay! Congratulations to all of your accolades. I agree some bloggers doesn;t really mind to what they posted on the net.Fake news is very rampant and it seems that the people doing this don’t care about whether they are helping the situation or making it worst. For now, all that I can do is to pray for them that they will be enlightened.
Thank you, Gemma. the recognition is the result of all the hard work and all the support of the readers like you. This is also the reason why I made sure to be ethical all the time because I owe it to you, my dear readers. FYI, your comments made me feel happy and thank you for following my blogs 🙂
Your post reminded me of a blogger who wrote a letter to my Aunt for a sponsorship for his blog. When my Aunt refused, he wrote an article about our restaurant talking that our dishes were not good, our ingredients were not fresh and our food presentations were horrible. While he is entitled to his own opinion , bakit siya nag pa pa sponsor in exchange of a blog review? Hope that this type of blogger will vanished..Kakainis. But thank you sa article na to ..sana mabasa niya.
Actually, Don, there are times that when I am invited in some restos I would realize that I don’t like some of their offerings. But since I always stand on the positive side, I rather not write about that specific food, rather I would write something that I like. I am not saying that I am giving a false review, It’s just that I just wanted to focus on the positive and would rather give the feedback to the owner on my experience. In this instance, he will have the opportunity the improve, rather than destroying his business if I made some bad reviews.
Regarding that blogger that you mentioned, I feel sad. It’s just that in blogging we must be responsible for our actions to maintain our credibility.Well, I had been blogging for 7 years already, and so far…I think I haven’t received such complaint.
This reminds us to THINK … before we CLICK. I have lots of friends in FB who aspires to become bloggers, however failed to follow the the aforementioned basic principles in responsible blogging. Celebrities, persons in authority with lots of followers, who instantly became bloggers and most becomes insensitive to their views and opinions, thus creates chaos. That’s why, nowadays, it’s hard for us to discern who are telling the truth and who are telling lies.
I agreeJasmine, we must be responsible for our own action. But you know me personally. I always maintain that credibility that goes with my name. I have so much responsibility to my readers, to my clients in business and even to you as my student. Thanx for dropping.
Yes I agree with you Sir Jojo…. Dapat may bloggers ethical standards din kayo same sa journalism o kaya sa radio o TV….
Thank you, Tiara 🙂 But even without the written law, professional people would always be cautious of the power they have especially if they are known personalities or blogger. Thank for dropping..long time no see 🙂