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| | Post New Topic | | Bloggers & personal opinions | Views: 330 | | May 20, 2008 5:39 pm | | Bloggers & personal opinions | # | 
Karel Frielink | | You may have read this many times already: "The views expressed on this blog are the personal views of the posters and do not necessarily reflect the views of this company."
However, the question remains whether a company blogger should express his personal opinions on, e.g., political issues. It could hurt his company as well as it could hurt his own career. And what about personal opinions when they differ from the official stance of the blogger's company? Would if make any difference if those opinions would be expressed on a personal blog?
What is your 'personal' opinion on this?
Kind regards,
Karel Frielink
Karel's Legal Blog
http://www.curacao-law.com
Private Reply to Karel Frielink | | Jun 23, 2008 9:56 am | | re: Bloggers & personal opinions | # | 
John Dierckx | | Hi Karel,
I think you are making a good point here and without going too deep into the legal merits of the question just a few thoughts from a personal perspective.
Your question appears to indicate initially the situation of a blogger using his company's blog to express his personal feelings on a particular subject matter. Personally I would suggest in such a situation that business and personal are separated or the blogger obtains permission to express these "views" on the company designated blog(s). In any event the company's interest prevails as the company's means are used. So I would suggest that in such a case the company should have the right to either respond or to withdraw such a blog from publication. Personally I think a business blog should not be used for such purposes as you outlined at all, unless it is deliberately chosen t be used like that on a management level and even than only to express what the company stands for, not the individual. I do acknowledge that the two are not always as easily separated, especially in SME's.
To me it makes all the difference if such opinions would be made on a personal blog, if only because that should lead to personal responsibility. Where these type of opinions or views are personal and where they could even jeopardize company interests, it is up to the individual to take responsibility also for the potential consequences.
Just imagine a CEO expressing that he feels the green policy is in his personal view a load of rubbish but it keeps the stakeholders happy and quiet. This could jeopardize the credibility to those same stakeholders and the public. It is than up to the company to take action it deems appropriate.
I am not for quieting anyone down but at the same time if you feel you need to speak up in public you should be willing to bear the potential consequences of that. If that means that there is no longer a sufficient basis of trust and the end of a relationship than that is what you must be prepared to take. Or if you end up spilling beans that are considered confidential or company sensitive, the same story.
Hope this helps.
John
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