Blogging ethics?

Tan Seow Hon has a read-worthy article in yesterday's ST ("A blog on your character"). She writes in response to the uproar generated by a certain incident (Singapore Angle has wonderful extensive coverage here), on the privacy issues (among other things) that pertain to blogging:

"The reality of blogging [is] that it is not just the private business of the blogger and his fans. Blogging about real persons -- individually or as a group -- implicates others.

"Blogging is revealing about the blogger... As there is no personal contact, bloggers can encourage uncivil and irresponsible statements...

"Hiding behind a blog seems to feed cowardice -- some bloggers rant behind others' backs. Perhaps they even hope that those they blog about will chance upon these postings because they say things there which they would not dare to confront others with.

"In the end, the question each blogger should ask himself is this: What does your blog say about your character?"

While I wouldn't say that every blogger should ask themselves what their blog says of them, it's pretty much the best guide for those of us who are looking for one, but have come to realise that no list can exhaustibly and agreeably cover all aspects of "blogging ethics"; you can't even find a group of people who'll agree that "there are no rules," online or off.

Because it's not just blogging; the things we do or think, day in, day out -- even the things we don't do or don't think -- speak volumes about us too. Whether or not someone can hold them against us is a different question, and frankly, quite secondary.