Love to be mis-quoted

In keeping up to date with all my blogging/food writing/tweeting contacts, I read a fabulous article about the debates around codes of ethics for food bloggers.

The article is an interview with a favorite food blogger, Ed Charles (tomato), for the online magazine Upstart.

What I quickly feel the need to point out is that there's a comment in there attributed to JdG- and yes it is a comment that I left on a website discussing the topic.

What I need to address is that the small bit of my comment that they did pull out to use isn't quite representative of my complete view of the subject.

'However not all comments were that positive, the signature JdG wrote that "to require guidelines [for blogs] would be to hobble a medium that revels in its freedom.”'

Implying that I don't support the idea of a code of ethics for the world of food blogging, which is NOT the case at all.

The original comment that I made was in reference to the idea of a code of ethics being mandatory for food bloggers. The total comment was;

"I think what needs to be recognised is that bloggers have a freedom that makes blogging what it is. The blogs that are successful are popular for different reasons, some because they do not follow the rules and provide renegade commentary, and others because they adhere to the traditional rules and build for themselves a sense of 'integrity'- there is room for both as long as readers are able to identify which is which. Truth and fact in both is preferable, but not required. To require guidelines would be to hobble a medium that revels in it's freedom."

My point was that codes of ethics are wonderful if people have the choice to adopt them- but hobbles them if it becomes mandatory/required to adopt them... that's all.

For the record, when I write/blog, I always write with a journalists code of ethics in mind. But that doesn't mean that I think everyone else should have to as well.

Personal bloggers are not journalists, nor should they be treated as such- it's fun to keep that in mind when you're reading something entertaining that you have found online.

I guess I wasn't misquoted... more taken out of context on something that I feel very passionately about- otherwise the article is a great read, and one that I recommend.

And you can quote me on that. :)