There’s an event via the Social Media Club regarding blogging and disclosure. The Edelman flap regarding a Wal-Mart blog continues to stir around, seeming to center around some now wanting even more disclosure from certain blogs because others don’t have enough. Here’s some more reading on the subject (from Social Media Club): Jason Calacanis explains all his influences, Mathew Ingram, and lastly PR Squared.

Anyhow, I’m liking the idea of a disclosure page (here’s my work in progress) which clearly lists any of the blogger’s relationships which could be misconstrued as influencing their positions.

My earlier thoughts on this subject haven’t changed. I feel ultimately the choice of disclosure or not is obviously up to the blogger. There is also no way to stop corporations from using blogs (”flogs”) as a method to get their advertising messages out there, nor is there any way to keep individual bloggers from trumpeting their own agendas for financial gain or some particular pet cause. In fact, it’s probably impossible for anybody to be completely above influence.

However, in the long run I believe people who make a concerted attempt at being open and genuine about their interests will be vindicated in the long run. Even if the blogger thinks they are being objective, a glance at their disclosures may provide helpful insight. But the act of deliberately trying to fake objectivity by concealing relationships is what people are really bent out of shape about.

And lastly, don’t forget that there is definitely an echo-chamber situation in the blogosphere, and as we’ve seen with Edelman, a bad reputation spreads like wildfire.

Note: Here’s the recap of the Social Media Club Disclosure discussion.

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