Ghost-Blogging: Ethical or not?

In the on-line world, which since its beginnings, has been hailed as an anonymous platform for individuals wishing to express their opinions, how important is transparency?

For some, transparency is a non-issue, something they would never consider. To these individuals being anonymous allows them to voice opinions they may not be brave enough to attach their names too, explore issues they otherwise may be too embarrassed too, or act on behalf of someone else. These are the supporters of Ghost Blogging.

While there are many, many Ghost Bloggers – individuals writing anonymously, people posing as others, individuals or groups writing on behalf of corporations – there are an equal number of people who believe that transparency is a non-negotiable, an absolute must, when it comes to blogging. It all comes down to what the individual believes to be ETHICAL.

Michael O'Connor Clarke, a presenter at this year’s Talk is Cheap 2.0 hosted by the Corporate Communications and Public Relations department at Centennial College, is a firm believer in transparency – especially in the world of public relations. He believes ghost blogging to be, “inauthentic, opaque, fake, duplicitous (<-- insert favourite synonym here). It's everything that this splendid authentic, transparent, open, honest social media stuff is NOT supposed to be about”. But wait. Public Relations professionals make a living writing speeches for others to deliver, creating quotes to fit into newspaper articles and drafting letters, news releases, memos, etc. to be released on behalf of someone else. This causes Clarke to openly wonder, “How is what we [public relations practitioners] get paid to do every day any less dodgy than ghost blogging?”

One answer is that clients take ownership of what we write as PR professionals. They adopt the words and consider them their own, they support and agree with what is being said. Another is that most individuals realize that the speeches delivered by politicians or the words posted on your company’s website by the CEO are usually, if not always, a collaborative work of the politician or CEO and a group of others.

In my opinion, Clarke is right. Transparency is key to starting open, honest conversations – whether they are face to face, or online. As a PR professional, I accept that what I write may not always have my name attached to it, that my opinions may be viewed as someone else’s – but this is part of the job. Online, I believe it is always important to tell your audience who you are, where you’re coming from and what lead you to the position you’re in now. It’s the only way to really facilitate an honest form of communication.