Source: Pixabay
Blogging can be an exciting task, especially if you’re getting started with it. However, you will realize that it isn’t as simple as it seems. You might sometimes find yourself on the wrong side of the law if you don’t follow blogging ethics when expressing your creativity through writing.
Understandably, not everyone is well-versed with the legal know-hows and not sure about how to avoid lawsuits when blogging. Thankfully, this article takes an in-depth look into blogging ethics. By the end, you should know how to blog without breaking the law. You’ll also be able to connect with your audience almost effortlessly.
Let’s get started with everything you should know about blogging legally.
What Should I Do if Facing a Blogging Lawsuit?
Big companies employ teams of bloggers to help create content for their websites. It can be tricky to stay immune from lawsuits if you have a big team. So, what do you do if a team member breaks blogging laws? First, you need to find a lawyer who understands blogging laws and intellectual laws in general.
Then, if blogging was your major source of income and a lawsuit interrupts it, you need to find an alternative. Pre-settlement loans can be a good source of financial assistance in such times. Unlike traditional loans, lawsuit pre-settlement loans have better terms and lower interest rates.
Yes, low-interest pre-settlement loans can be lifesaving. But you need to avoid getting into a lawsuit to ensure you never need to seek pre-settlement funds. So, how can you avoid breaking blogging laws? Here are some steps you and your team should follow.
1. Differentiate Between Opinion and Fact
People visit websites and blogs looking for facts. However, that doesn’t mean you cannot air your opinion on a blog. It’s okay to give your opinion in many cases as long as it doesn’t contradict the facts. You should ensure that your audience differentiates opinions and facts.
Otherwise, you might get sued for defamation if you present your opinions as facts. Ensure your opinions don’t affect and, ultimately, trample other people’s rights. Also, if you aren’t sure about something, research and find facts before writing. Being factual in blogs will ensure no one will file a lawsuit against you.
2. Aim at Being Right, Not First
This might seem similar to our first point, but they’re different from each other. Many people don’t take time before writing about a trending topic. They research shallowly or barely take time to check for facts. The urge to be the first to report can affect your ability to report correctly.
Therefore, you should take your time before writing about a topic. Verify the facts and ensure they’re right before you start writing. Your blog can only grow and become popular if you give verifiable information. Reporting accuracy will help you build trust with your audience.
3. Have Legal Policies on Your Website
You also need to provide legal information to your audience. Responsible blogging requires that you have four legal pages on your website or blog. They include:
- Disclaimer page,
- Terms of use,
- Disclosure page, and
- Privacy policy.
A disclaimer page plays a critical role in protecting your company from liability. The terms of use page provide rules for using your site. The disclosure page tells readers about your company’s affiliations with others. Lastly, the privacy policy page tells readers that their data is secure.
You need legal knowledge to create these pages correctly. Hiring an attorney for this task can be a good idea if you don’t have an in-house lawyer. Also, you can find legal templates online and use them to create these pages. Then, ensure these pages are accessible on your website.
4. Be Original
Source: Pixabay
You should also avoid copying someone else’s content. This means you shouldn’t steal photos, ideas or anything else created by another blogger. If you borrow an idea, ensure you recognize and properly credit the owner. Most importantly, start by seeking their consent before using their content.
Another thing you must do is check if images posted on websites are copyrighted. This will ensure you don’t infringe on anyone’s intellectual rights. Also, you can easily gain people’s trust with original content. This will be key in helping you make your website a trusted information source.
5. Don’t Violate Someone’s Trademark.
Infringing someone’s trademark can also lead to a lawsuit. Many people don’t realize that it is very easy to infringe a trademark even if you don’t intend to. For instance, you might be looking to choose a name for your business. An easy violation is the use of an already existing business name.
It’ll be good to take your time and research existing businesses. An online search of the name you intend to use will help. If you aren’t good at research, working with a lawyer is the best option. They can help with the trademark search to ensure you don’t get into trouble.
6. Comply With Privacy and Data Laws
You cannot be a successful blogger if you overlook privacy and data laws. These laws ensure your target audience’s data is safe and secure. There are three major things to include as you create these laws. One of them is having a cookie banner to track visitor cookies.
It’ll also help to update your policies to ensure they comply with security regulations. Last but not least, ensure you add consent boxes for your target audience. They can use them to give you consent to collect and use their data. It’ll help you stay compliant with GDPR and CCPA laws.
Final Thoughts
Blogging, as aforementioned, is a daunting task, although many people don’t know it. There’s a lot you should know before getting started with it. This article has explored the dos and don’ts of blogging. You now know how to avoid legal pitfalls in your blogging profession.
Also, you know what to do if you ever break the law as a blogger. The first step should be to ensure you don’t fall into a financial crisis. Find a pre-settlement lawsuit loan to ensure you pay your bills on time. You can then repay the loan from what’s awarded to you as compensation.
