Blog Council releases disclosure toolkit

The Blog Council, an organization of corporations formed to promote best practices in the blogosphere, has released its “Disclosure Best Practices Toolkit.”

The toolkit provides a disclosure framework for companies interacting with the blogosphere, including disclosure of identity, personal/unofficial blogging and outreach, blogger relations, compensation and Incentives, agency and contractor disclosure and creative flexibility. The Council believes that the toolkit offers a base for companies to work from:

“We believe that the first step is for companies to create a simple disclosure policy so their employees and agencies know the appropriate and transparent ways of participating.”

The Blog Council formed in December 2007, and includes companies including AccuQuote, Cisco Systems, The Coca-Cola Company, Dell, Gemstar-TV Guide, General Motors, Kaiser Permanente, Microsoft, Nokia, SAP, Wells Fargo and Walmart.

I was a little skeptical at first about a group of corporations getting together to create blogging policy, however I can’t find any major fault in what they’ve now released. It’s a solid start, and offers to fill a void of ethical behavior that gave the world astroturfing and non-disclosed paid posts.