Jeff Jarvis, journalism professor and writer for buzzmachine.com, tried to explain in an article for The Guardian.

Jarvis referred to a blog posting where he wrongfully criticized the director of the Press Complaints Commission, based on an online source with an inaccurate quote. Jarvis acknowledged that “the internet can also be worse - online, errors can spread wider faster and take on a longer half-life.”

At the same time, the online news generation “can be better at corrections than old media,” he said.

Considering the “fundamental change to the relationship of publisher and subject,” Jarvis proposed an update of libel laws that would take into account the new context. While not going as far suppressing libel laws, these shouldn’t hinder the new possibilities of open “conversation” enabled by blogs.

The Media Bloggers Association is currently working on a project that would require bloggers to complete an online course with the US-based Poynter Institute to insure knowledge both of legal issues and ethical concerns. 

“We need to modify our expectations of media, tune our skepticism, update our laws, restrain our regulation and enhance our technology,” said Jarvis. And while bloggers need not abide by a professional code of conduct, a little research and upheld ethics can do a lot to avoid misinformation.

Source: Media Guardian - Press Gazette