Ethical ePunditry? The role of expertise in online opinion-making

Forrest, Eve; Duff, Alistair S

Abstract

The use of blogs to communicate ideas, opinions and knowledge has grown over the past two decades. Social media platforms have facilitated the rise of hybridised forms of written, verbal and visual communication and opinion-making, output which we designate as ‘ePunditry’. The connectivity of Web 2.0 technologies has meant that anyone with access to the internet can now write and speak publicly about a subject that interests them, whether or not they are regarded as an expert in their area. However, with anyone being able to declare their opinion on the topic of their choice, can this form of public knowledge be considered ethical? This article reflects on the production and ethical dimensions of ePunditry across four distinct subject domains: parenting, science, sport and fashion. Using data from 15 interviews with ePundits, it explores the paradigm shift surrounding expert knowledge in the internet age, examining the multifaceted ways in which expertise is now communicated.

Citation

Forrest, E., & Duff, A. S. (2017). Ethical ePunditry? The role of expertise in online opinion-making. Journal of Information Ethics, 26(1),

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 21, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Apr 1, 2017
• Publication Date: Apr 1, 2017
• Deposit Date: Feb 9, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 2, 2018
• Journal: Journal of Information Ethics
• Print ISSN: 1061-9321
• Publisher: McFarland & Company
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 26
• Issue: 1
• Keywords: Blogs, communication, social media,
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/683426
• Publisher URL: https://www.questia.com/library/p439830/journal-of-information-ethics/i4038267/vol-25-no-1-2016