It seems that more and more people nowadays get involved in new media tools especially social networking, we can both participated actively as a writer or a reader. However, by the time when we enjoy this superb experience throughout the internet, we may easily step into grey zone or evenunintentionally.
In class, we’ve talked about Creative Commons which aims to protect netizens work and intellectual property. In Hong Kong, CreativeCommons Hong Kong (CCHK) gives not only public consultation but also help to local netizens on how to protect and respect copyright.
But what I am really inspired by and want to recommend it to my classmates is:
Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)
Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)
Just after the first project of the course, I think that I'm quite unclear of what as a blogger/netizen can do or cannot do. The legal rights and responsibilities of the role are also quite vague, or simply say, some of us may easily neglect them.
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| Source: EFF |
About the Bloggers' Rights
According to EFF (they are still battling for bloggers' rights in the courtroom),
1.Bloggers can be journalists.
2.Bloggers are entitled to free speech.
3.Bloggers have the right to political speech.
4.Bloggers have the right to stay anonymous.
5.Bloggers have freedom from liability for hosting speech
the same way other web hosts do.
the same way other web hosts do.
These are only few rights that EFF suggests, one of the web page
that worth-reading is about the Legal Guide for Bloggers.
that worth-reading is about the Legal Guide for Bloggers.
What legal liability issues can arise from my blog?
(quoted from EFF-Legal Liability Overview)
Generally, you face the same liability issues as anyone making a publication available to the public, and receive the same freedom of speech and press protections. The main legal liability issues include:
- Defamation
- Intellectual Property (Copyright/Trademark)
- Trade Secret
- Right of Publicity
- Publication of Private Facts
- Intrusion into Seclusion
t.b.c.
Kandice, thanks for introducing EFF to us! =] I think social networks are catalyst of the spread of new media writing. People tend to "write" more with new media, than writing on paper, because it seems that people will not update their status on paper. haha.
ReplyDeleteNice post - it's important to realize that if we want to take advantage of all of the benefits that posting to the Internet and access to a world-wide audience can provide, then there are some real world responsibilities that we have to take into account.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your informative blog post! It is important to be aware that as a blogger, we have a responsibility to make use of this tool in a constructive and law-abiding way. What we write on our blogs is for a wide audience, and it is crucial that we express our opinions in a way that will not upset anyone.
ReplyDeleteI do not oppose to protect blogger's right, but I have reservation about the argument that blogger can be journalists.
ReplyDeleteTo say blogger can be journalists, this depends greatly on how you interpret the role of journalists.
As I stated in my post, I strongly agree that the Internet have altered the realtionship between media and audience. The Web allowed all people to be writer, and we now have equal right to be heard.
However, does writers equal to journalists?
I believe one of the major responsibilities of jornalism is to inform the public about what is going on in the society. Blogger who wrote about an incident always combine their personal opinions with the description, and frame the blog with bias from their own position. So, is this still performing the role of jornalist?
If the advocators say net users can distinguish blog journalists and paid journalist, then bloggers and journalists would not be the same!
Dear Kitty
ReplyDeleteyeah totally agree you!
We feel much convenient when we just type everything in social media...
Like if you use fb/ twitter, you can tell all your friends you added in just a second...It's probably a few hundred people in one time...
so we seldom use one on one method anymore, except the time we really want to chat privately.
Kitty: hahah I accidentally use a formal tone and say "Dear Kitty" which I normally use to address others in email...hahha
ReplyDeleteChristoph
ReplyDeleteYes! Real World Responsibility is always easily neglected.
Let say, when you type words on your panel like FB/ Twitter, you seldom think of the responsibilities, which seem too far.
And if I haven't taken this course, I may never spend time on this kind of issue.
Haaha, but I feel lucky that I know more about it and awareness is raised!
Ken, I read a previous comment about the issue of being a blogger as well, but I don't know why it disappeared, you deleted it?
ReplyDeleteYes, you speak my words as well, actually, to be a journalist, blogger should have more qualifications or even responsibility..
Certainly, what EFF promote is not really
blogger=journalist
but just to some extent, blogger serves the same function of journalist. Sometimes it seems most bloggers normally share their own opinions only and there is no qualification/verification on what they said. But, there are also some bloggers whose posts are worth-reading/referencing...As far as I know, for some social network site, there are a system of qualification.
In the world of internet, there is no black or white, what we can do is only keep a clear mind and with your critical thinking to choose what you should do/not.
What the advocates said, not really blogger=journalist, but blogger can be only~
But your concern really reminds me there is hardly a line between black and white.
I think this is quite useful because while I've been writing or making videos on the Net, I haven't really been sensitive to the legal matters that arise when I actually publish them. Creative commons and EFF remind me that the Internet is about sharing and remembering to credit others' hard work.
ReplyDeleteI think the role of a blogger can be that of a online journalist, critic, or reviewer as they are all expressing ideas of what they think should be concerned.
Thanks for introducing this topic to us. It's really helpful. :)
ReplyDeleteBefore this course, I wasn't very aware of the legal matters of those pictures than can be easily found on Net, I was just save the picture up and then publish it without giving credit to anybody. But now I know that we should respect copyright and creativity. So that's why there are companies like Creative Commons and EFF.
I believe that as a blogger, we should respect other people's work and give credit to the things which is not originated by you.