1. Ethical and legal issues related to blogging and social media
JAND. 2013;113(5):

2. Learning objectives
List three reasons why nutrition professional would want to use the internet for communication.
Identify best practices for disclosing pertinent information when blogging.
Given a scenario, identify what type of disclosure would be necessary to follow the ethical and legal code of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

3. Why use the internet for professional practice?
The internet – blogs, social media, etc.
Educate the public,
Promote products and services,
Build a professional brand.

4. Cyberjournalist.net created a Bloggers’ Code of Ethics
Never plagiarize
Identify and link to sources whenever feasible.
Distinguish between advocacy, commentary, and factual information.
Distinguish factual information and commentary from advertising. Avoid hybrids that blur the line between these.
Disclose conflicts of interest, affiliations, activities, and personal agendas.
Deny favored treatment to advertisers and special interests and resist their pressure to influence content. Disclose exceptions.
Once you submit any kind of content online – a blog, recipe, video, photograph, even a tweet – you become a publisher and you have the ethical responsibilities of a journalist.

5. Practice transparency in blogging
It’s ok to “monetize” your blog, but you must disclose these relationships
Ethical and LEGAL
What does it mean to monetize your blog? Enter into marketing relationships with food companies and other corporations to review products, write sponsored blog posts, or serve as a media spokesperson.

6. Blog with Integrity, blog badge and pledge:
I disclose my material relationships, policies, and business practices. My readers will know the difference between editorial, advertorial, and advertising, should I choose to have it. If I do sponsored or paid posts, they are clearly marked.

7. Best practices for disclosure
Sample disclosure statements for blog posts:
I received [product/sample/information] from [co name]
[Co name] sent me [free products/coupons]
I was paid by [Co name] to review this [product] or create this recipe.
By posting this recipe, I am entering a content sponsored by [co name]
I am an employee (or representative) of [co name]
I would like to recommend my sponsor, [brand/co name]
This post is sponsored by [company name]

8. The following hashtags are recommended by the Word of Mouth Marketing Association:
#spon or #sp (sponsor)
#cl (client)
#paid
#ad
#sample
If you are paid to endorse a product on Twitter, the FTC considers this digital advertising and you must include “ad” at the beginning of the tweet.

9. Marketing Disclosures
Review: Received material specifically for review purposes without monetary or other compensation
Promo: Received promotional items, such as samples, gifts, or other nonmonetary compensation.
Paid: Received monetary or other compensation to review or promote a product or service.
Business: Has a material business relationship (agency, vendor, or partner agreement) with a company related to the message topic
Affiliate: Included affiliate links on a page or post and receives sales commission or payment in exchange for referral.

10. Assign groups to consider one of 11 scenarios included in the article.