Bloggers need legal protection

Posted on December 10th, 2007 by Richard Catto 724 views

I was just having a conversation about blogging with a Facebook friend who I met more than a year ago on OkCupid.

She’s a teacher (outside of South Africa) and because of her profession, she told me, she feels she has to be circumspect in what she writes about in public. She told me that if she "had ANY OTHER JOB it would probably be acceptable."

So nevermind journalists who get fired for blogging about their screwed up working conditions, it’s practically EVERYONE who has gotten the message that if they blog about something their employer doesn’t like, they could get fired.

THIS HAS GOT TO FUCKING STOP!!!

What is the fucking point of having Freedom of Speech if citizens are not legally protected by their governments from their Evil Employers from censuring them using the threat of financial ruin? How can a blogger freely blog with the Sword of Damocles hanging over their heads?

The question really revolves around the scope of the protection offered.

So what do you think should be protected and what should not be?

Tags: Legal protection for bloggers
Filed under Legal protection for bloggers |

3 Responses to “Bloggers need legal protection”

1. SheBee Says:
   December 10th, 2007 at 10:31

   I’m happy to go with your opinion, here, unless the blogger is really going out of their way to piss off their employers in a damaging light. I think thats where most of this outrage comes from.

   Some people don’t know how to be controversial without throwing sticks and stones at their company…

2. esvl Says:
   December 10th, 2007 at 18:10

   I think they should be protected to a certain extent.
   I prefer to stay anonymous as long as I can, not always possible but I guess “friend bloggers” should know who you are but as for employers they have nothing to do with what goes on, on your blog, except of course if they have a reason to take legal action against you.

3. sonnyvsdan Says:
   December 11th, 2007 at 14:54

   Haha, you have touched on something that has burned me in the past. Not employment wise, but friendwise – suddenly, when you get close to your readers, there are things you can no longer blog about or talk about. Not if you are a real human being anyway. In life, there are things you can talk about openly and things you can’t. If you are one of those say it like it is people regardless of the situation, then there are definitely people out there who hate you for it, as they should. Being circumspect is a life skill.

   Moving on to employment – all workplaces have their business to think of and also have certain rights. You do in fact give up a level of freedom of speech when you work for a company. For example in my job (with unfettered access to the medical records of any patient that has ever attended our hospital) I can’t talk about the conditions people come in with. I can’t let people I know in on the fact that I had to read all about their procedure, what’s wrong with their home life and the fact that they pooed themselves for 5 days straight. I can’t even talk about it in a way that might identify who they are. When you work for a company and are approached by the media, by rights you should not be releasing information to them without the express permission of the media manager (assuming you have one).
   Things can’t be black and white mate, even though sometimes we wish they could.
   I wish I could say and do what I like, but one visit to my blog and you might stumble on a new way of doing these things. Cheers for the thoughts,
   Dan.

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