When the nature of blogging collides with the nature of work

Less than a month ago I wrote about a police officer who could have been in trouble with his employers for blogging (honestly and openly) about how he experienced work. It appears that same problem may soon be at the door of Opinionistas - another popular blogger who offers a graphic account of the inner workings of life at one of New York's large law firms. According to Blogging the Firm by Paul Berger (New York Times), Opinionistas days of anonymity are drawing to a close. What is more, it is claimed that the blog is about to betray its owner.

Clearly there are issues of employer confidentiality here. There is also the question of ethics, i.e. writing about fellow employees without their permission or consent, etc. However, if, as Berger claims, the blogger in question is simply writing about "unbearable pressures of life as a young associate lawyer", and, comments on "tyrannical and lecherous partners, physically and emotionally broken associates and the deadened souls of a generation that pursued a law career because it was the right thing to do", then it is the lawyer's professional body and the employer in question who are betraying the lawyer in question, not the blog.

This is what I like most of all about blogging - it allows anybody who has minimal IT skills the potential to communicate their ideas and opinions to the masses. Employers quite rightly may have a legitimate gripe about certain aspects of blogging, but there are two things they need to get used to soon - one is HONESTY and another is OPENNESS. Watch out employers, both could be knocking on your door soon.