I was referred to Poynter Online by MackZul, which talks about ethical considerations. Be it bloggers, commentators or readers, this is a must read in order to shed some light on online ethical issues and ethical conduct. Here it goes …

10 Questions to Make Good Ethical Decisions

• What do I know? What do I need to know?
• What is my journalistic purpose?
• What are my ethical concerns?
• What organizational policies and professional guidelines should I consider?
• How can I include other people, with different perspectives and diverse ideas, in the decision-making process?
• Who are the stakeholders — those affected by my decision? What are their motivations? Which are legitimate?
• What if the roles were reversed? How would I feel if I were in the shoes of one of the stakeholders?
• What are the possible consequences of my actions? Short term? Long term?
• What are my alternatives to maximize my truthtelling responsibility and minimize harm?
• Can I clearly and fully justify my thinking and my decision? To my colleagues? To the stakeholders? To the public?

Seek Truth and Report it as Fully as Possible

• Inform yourself continuously so you in turn can inform, engage, and educate the public in a clear and compelling way on significant issues.
• Be honest, fair, and courageous in gathering, reporting, and interpreting accurate information.
• Give voice to the voiceless.
• Hold the powerful accountable.

Act Independently

• Guard vigorously the essential stewardship role a free press plays in an open society.
• Seek out and disseminate competing perspectives without being unduly influenced by those who would use their power or position counter to the public interest.
• Remain free of associations and activities that may compromise your integrity or damage your credibility.
• Recognize that good ethical decisions require individual responsibility enriched by collaborative efforts.

Minimize Harm

• Be compassionate for those affected by your actions.
• Treat sources, subjects, and colleagues as human beings deserving of respect, not merely as means to your journalistic ends.
• Recognize that gathering and reporting information may cause harm or discomfort, but balance those negatives by choosing alternatives that maximize your goal of truthtelling.