I had the opportunity to participate in the show “Media Anatomy,” discussing new media ethics, responsibility, and other important aspects related to those whose audience is found outside of traditional media. In my opinion, the topic is very interesting. For those who have read our books, my views won’t come as a surprise. Very often, content creators are placed in the “bad” category—something I disagree with, as the full spectrum of behavior can be seen on both sides. I believe it depends more on the specific individual. A few examples:

• Articles and photos from both my Facebook profile and blog have been taken multiple times without permission or coordination and published on various sites and media outlets. Not to mention instances where a well-known Latvian politician with a background in journalism used Jēkabs’ photos on their social media on a large scale.
• There are examples where, during media/press trips, content creators tag every single “story” with the correct hashtag, disclosing that it is collaborative content, while a journalist with an impressive audience chooses not to do so.

• Expanding the scope, I would also like to mention well-known public figures. Usually, people want to point fingers at “bad influencers” for posting hidden advertisements, but a recent observation is that those who do this professionally (and are used to collaborating with agencies and brands) disclose sponsored content without any hesitation. The same cannot always be said for actors, musicians, or even well-known entrepreneurs (though we could also debate whether they count as content creators/influencers?). I can’t quite agree that it’s always “obvious” from the outside when something is an ad. I’ve personally seen photos from influencer trips where, if I hadn’t seen the stories of other participants, I would never have guessed the content was sponsored because it looked like a private outing with friends. But when one or two out of ten use the correct labels, it immediately becomes clear that the others are choosing to keep it quiet. Therefore, I’m not surprised that when I share things I’ve bought myself or give recommendations, there is always someone shouting, “Hidden ad!!!” It is still so common that people suspect it even in situations where nothing of the sort is happening.

As I mentioned, there are all sorts of cases on both sides, but I have frequently encountered situations where bloggers and social media creators are looked down upon because the traits of the worst examples are attributed to everyone. Any job can be done professionally, or—not so much. Even though I’ve had bad experiences with certain journalists, it doesn’t mean I now have a low opinion of them all; I know many professionals in the field, I highly respect the profession, and there’s a reason I usually respond to invitations to provide comments, prepare materials, or participate in interviews.

Once you’ve listened to the show, let me know—what are your thoughts on this topic? The full recording of the show is available here.