Blogging is fantastic for a number of reasons. It provides anyone, regardless of affiliation, with the ability to voice what they feel, observe and believe. The growth of blogs or citizen journalism has provided writers with the ability to disseminate their work without the need for a vehicle like traditional newspapers and magazines. At the same time that it has leveled the playing field, it has also made it easy for people without good intentions to disseminate hatred and misinformation with the express purpose of hurting rivals or anyone who does not agree.
It is the shady side that hurts the legitimacy of all bloggers. With traditional journalists, there is a code of ethics and standards and anyone who does not abide by those standards is black-balled and fired. In the blogging world, the journalistic standards are not enforced and the sensational, tabloid world, where dirt and all-out lies sell issues, has made it over into the blogosphere. Even worse, people pose as someone they are not in order to persuade and influence decisions of readers.
