"The Ethics 20 Questions"
Discussion Draft For Public Comment

All Comments

Ian Lisser-Sproule - H2O

Ethics Guidelines or Policies are supposed to encapsulate what should be common sense, and can only ever be a guide as opposed to a proscriptive set of rules (unless you want to introduce legislation, make them mandatory and establish a policing mechanism to support it). Ethical Guidelines don’t and can’t replace or supplant one’s moral, ethical, professional and legal responsibilities, however they can focus peoples attention on their moral and ethical duty to others and support positive professional standards of behaviour. To the extent that such policies are effective they are most effective in educating and in countering a culture of expediency. They will assist in raising the standard of behaviour and aid in the process of identifying and outing the unscrupulous. Nothing however will stop the unscrupulous if they are intent on deceiving, misleading or duping people.

I think the initiative needs to be warmly embraced and broadly promoted within the bloging, media, marketing, communication and advertising communities. The acceptance, acknowledgment and adherence to the principals should be seen as a badge of honour and as well as means of differentiating the quality blogs from the manipulated blogs, ethical agencies over the unscrupulous agencies, and honest marketing over duplicitous marketing.

Ian Lisser-Sproule, Director Strategy
H2O
www.h2o.net.au

November 7, 2006