WEB ETHICS
THIS SITE BELIEVES IN:
(1) Full disclosure of all commercial content, (2) Prohibiting conflicts of interest and
other ethical violations in the preparation of all content.
WHY DO WE BELIEVE THIS?
Because it serves readers/users best with the most honest, reliable information. Surf here
to learn more details.
In addition, unethical behavior is also dishonset competition. Whether one likes it or
not, the Web has become
a place for businesses and magazines to set up shop. It is cheaper to build a sleazy site
than an honest one. A
dishonest magazine or a site that is taking money to say nice things about a company or
advertiser (or which
has a "stealth" site designed to surreptitously promote its own products) is
creating a dishonest, unfair
advantage. If the practice is not stopped and if these sites are not exposed, honest
journalism will be driven off
the Web.
FULL DISCLOSURE
Separation of Advertising and Editorial Is Vital
We believe that the clear and inviolable separation of advertising from editorial - such
as is practiced by the
best of traditional media -- is a practice that must be carried over to the Internet.
Unless a site is clearly
disclosed as a commercial site, readers must be able to trust that the preparation of
editorial content has not
been influenced by advertising or other considerations. To do otherwise does not serve
readers/users and is
less than honest.
Commercial Sites Are Valuable, But Should Disclose
Commercial, transactional, marketing and other corporate Web sites offer some of the Web's
most valuable
and most enjoyable content. But the commercial nature of such content should be fully
disclosed so that
users/readers are aware of the site's point of view. Sites which disguise commercial
content - whether by
accident or deliberately - mislead user/reader who deserve the fullest disclosure so that
they can assess the
credibility of a site based on complete information.
Here's How Full Disclosure Can Function
Advertising banners, content, and graphics which are commercial in nature should be
clearly marked as such to
indicate their advertising or other commercial nature. sponsorship. One way is through the
use of a graphic
such as this example:
PREVENTING CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
1.An editorial content network site should not sell the products it reviews or writes
about. It should not
accept content from writers who also function as public relations or marketing people or
who perform
consulting or any other job for any company or product written about in the network's
content.
2.Employees of an editorial content site should not own stock or any equity in any company
which makes,
markets or sells any of the products which are covered by the site.
3.Editorial content site employees and its freelance contributors should not accept any
gratuity, including
travel, lodging, consulting fees, meals, money or other things of value from people,
associations,
organizations or companies which it covers
4.Editorial content site employees should not engage insecondary employment, political
involvement,
holding public office, and service in community or trade organizations which involve any
of the topics
covered by the editorial content site.
5.Editorial content sites should never trade editorial space for advertising and will not
allow advertiser
pressure to affect articles, ratings or recommendations.
ETHICAL, PROFESSIONAL REPORTING AND WRITING
The following is adapted from the code of ethics of the Society of Professional
Journalists
1.We seek to write the truth, as free of bias as is humanly possible.
2.There is no excuse for inaccuracies or lack of thoroughness.
3.Headlines should be in context and fully warranted by the contents of the articles they
accompany.
4.Photographs should accurately portray an event and not highlight an incident out of
context.
5.We will make a clear distinction between news reports and expressions of opinion. News
reports will be
free of opinion or bias and represent all sides of an issue.
6.Mistakes will be corrected promptly and completely.
7.Writers who become personal friends of people the editorial content site reports on
should not be allowed
to write articles about those people or their companies.