Notes from the Cape

Notes from the Cape – Ethics and Policy (Draft version 1)

This is a working document, so feel free to enter into discussion and provide me with suggestions regarding any changes or omissions.

Code of ethics

• Unless otherwise stated (or obviously public-domain), all content (including images) is my own work. I will credit other sources where applicable.
• I will disclose anything people might consider a conflict of interest.
• I will tell the truth. I will not lie.
• Commentary will be accurate and fair.
• When accuracy of material or sources is uncertain, it will be clearly mentioned.
• Weblog entries, quotations, headlines, photos and all other content will not be misrepresented or used out of context.
• Information that is known to be inaccurate will not be published.
• Where content is found to be inaccurate, it will be promptly fixed.
• The right of reply will be granted to anybody who disagrees with any content.
• Comments will never be deleted, except under the following circumstances:
  • They are spam.
  • They have no relevance to the blog to which they refer.
  • They constitute any form of hate speech.
  • Unnecessary bad language.
• Others opinions and viewpoints will be respected.
• I acknowledged that private people have a greater right to control information about themselves than do public officials and others who seek power, influence or attention.
• I will respect your privacy. If an entry reasonably offends your sense of privacy, it will be removed.
• I will not grant special favours to advertisers, or to anybody sending me promotional material.
• Any breech of this code will result in the offending entry being corrected immediately.

Disclaimer

• I am not a professional journalist. This document is a working document, and may be updated from time to time.
• Commentary on this site constitutes a personal viewpoint, and should be read as such.
• Anything that you do as a result of reading this blog is your own responsibility and is done at your own risk.
• I absolve myself from any responsible whatsoever for any actions resulting on this blog being read.
• This weblog is provided for entertainment and informational use.

Sources
Material on this entry is a mixture of the authors’ own views, as well as sourced from the following sites:

• A Bloggers’ Code of Ethics (cyberjournalist)
• Blogging policy examples (Charlene Li)
• David Meerman Scott’s Social Media Guidelines

And finally…

• Please feel free to use and adapt this document for your own use. However if you do so, please let us know.
• This is a working document, so feel free to enter into discussion and provide us with suggestions regarding any changes or omissions.