Some really great dialogues happen on Active Rain. And, there is an interesting one going on right now between Michael Clarkson and Jon Zolsky.
Clarkson's blog post, entitled Realtors®/Brokers - NEWS FLASH !!!! YOU ARE NOT ATTORNEYS!!!!! has prompted a good number of Active Rain members to get a little bit testy. And, to add fuel to the fire, Jon Zolsky's featured post I Refuse To Shut Up. I Refuse To Be A Robot sends many members (who had not yet read the original piece) to join the dialogue.
First off, I want to say Kudos to Mr. Clarkson for taking the time to write an extremely detailed comment on his own blog to point out his specific concerns and perhaps provide many of us with some free legal advice. Basically, I believe that his message is a caveat: Be careful what you write. Be careful what you do. If you are an agent who is not an attorney, you do not want to cross any line that could get you or your clients into trouble.
Kudos also to Jon Zolsky for allowing that dialogue to be opened here on Active Rain. It has been an extremely strong dialogue that has prompted me to think about how we use and set tone in our blog posts. We all have different goals when we blog. Some individuals blog to get business; others blog to share thoughts and opinions and information. On Active Rain, some foks just blog about nothing just because they want points.
Prior to my stint in real estate, I did a number of years in educational publishing. While it may sound a little mind-numbing, it actually was a very interesting experience. In my job, I was personally charged many times with checking to make sure that certain activities and photographs would not be offensive to the general public. Obviously the goal there was to assure that no future purchasers would be offended by what they saw inside the textbook (i.e., no teens in bathing suits or with unusual piercings). But, I have been able to bring a lot of that experience to blogging. In my personal posts, I am careful in my blog posts not to offend. Sometimes I am so cautious that I read and reread a comment or a post before pressing submit.
In the United States, freedom of speech is protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution. Bloggers are given that freedom of speech, I suppose, as long as their comments do not violate the blog site's terms and conditions. And, that's the beauty of the Internet. It gives us the freedom to express our opinions to many, many folks who would not otherwise have heard them.
Do you believe AR bloggers should be cautious, calculated, and careful in their posts? Or should they let it all hang out? It's a personal decision, but an important one-as it may set the tone for your future business relationships.
Melissa R Zavala
Broker, Realtor®
DRE #01324959
Broadpoint Properties, Inc
Short Sale Expeditor®
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