Conspiracy Theory Du Jour

Ah, well, back in France and looking at the interweb.

Following on from the independent blogging thing, there is an article in CiF that puts me right on one thing – the FTC’s guidelines are already in place this side of the Atlantic. So now I know…

I have to say, while I think disclosure is right and proper, it is no place for government to be poking about. However, there is a comment to this piece that is laughable in its absurdity and as conspiracy theories go, takes the proverbial biscuit. Apparently, political bloggers are bing paid by shadowy foreign governments to influence British politics. Yes, I kid you not. This piece of wisdom from gazpacho:

People who write political blogs don’t make it clear who’s paying them. Have a look at some and see for yourself. The information, sometimes, might be reported elsewhere. An example of this has been in the Guardian recently.

But isn’t it undesirable for an individual to set up a blog which appears independent , without revealing on the blog who is paying them? This strikes me as dishonest and wrong. It might even be the case and I wager it is the case, that agents of a foreign power are paying British people to write blogs influencing, or trying to influence, British politics and other important matters.

And, it might very well be the case, that these bloggers who don’t reveal which shadowy and dubious individuals and groups finance them, are using their false fronts to call for more openness and transparency amongst our politicians. “Pot calling kettle black”. But these shysters would no doubt respond that “this is private enterprise so it isn’t subject to the same moral compass as anything involving taxpayers money”.

The reason that I don’t make it clear who is paying me is because no one is. Simples.