Blogging etiquette

Why do people write blogs? Blogging seems a form of communication, a personal thoughts and opinions of Internet users to read.  The most sensational one are usually about bloggers charged against slander and defamation. Reep (2006, p. 41) states that ‘people who use [blogs] to criticise companies or other people can face lawsuits for Internet slander’. This is why some people have lost their job because of blogging.

Raja Petra Kamarudin is a well-known political blogger and also the editor of Malaysia Today (Walker, 2008). Because his blog write about he hates incitement on Islam in his blog and arrested under Internal Security Act (ISA).

As a blogger needs to be aware of the rules and ethics because of the articles is published publicly. Li (2004) delineated code of ethics for bloggers such as I will tell the truth, write deliberately and with accuracy and so on. A bloggers will keep private issues and topics private, since discussing private issues would jeopardize own personal and work relationships.

As a blogger, I will blog helpful to record my activities and events and to document my life. According to Nardi et al, 2004, who states that bloggers are driven to document their lives, express deeply felt emotions, through writing and maintain community forums. Also, employees might find blogs helpful for team projects and an exchange of information (Reep 2006, p. 41). However, we should know how to respect other people and to behave ethically when blogging to prevent from ethical problems. 

. Tan (2007) pointed some tips for bloggers and also readers of blogs. 

For bloggers;-

·                     always keep in mind that our blogs are published and accessible to anyone, though it may be personal one.

·                     never steal other people's contents

·                     always return credit on other’s people images

·                     comment what should say

1. Li, Charlene 2004, Blogging policy examples, empowered, viewed 2nd November 2010, <http://forrester.typepad.com/groundswell/2004/11/blogging_policy.html>

2. Nardi, BA, Schiano, DJ, Gumbrecht, M & Swartz, L 2004, ‘Why we blog’, Communications of the ACM, vol. 47, no. 12, pp. 41 – 46. 

3. Reep, DC 2006, Technical writing: principles, strategies, and readings, 6th edn, Pearson Education, Inc., New York.

4. Tan, Z.M 2007, 'Blogging etiquette: for bloggers and readers', suite101, viewed 12 November 2010, from <http://www.suite101.com/content/blogging-etiquette-a22222>

5. Walker, R 2008, 'Malaysian blogger arrested for posting anti-government comments', Guardian, 12 September, viewed 12 November 2010, from <http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/sep/12/malaysia.pressandpublishing>