I'm considering starting a blog which involves certain topics which could be construed as political/ human rights issues. For obvious reasons I can't go into details here but it's a subject I'm quite passionate about and is one of a few ideas I have for some websites I am building to generate income. Questions. 1.Do you think it's ethical to try and monetize my opinions on such serious issues. 2.Should I just start blogging and keep it as a personal site? Any opinions gratefully received. "All growth is a leap in the dark, a spontaneous, unpremeditated act without benefit of experience." Henry Miller
I would not mind and I expect any blog(old or new) to have ads now. A few Adsense ads never kill anyone. If you start selling affiliates to make money, it's another matter because of the subject. But half of the profit could go for some human rights organization. That could be a noble thing while being able to get some money for your passion. If it grows, you could live from that later. Was there a blog/site about saving trees that was sold recently? Do some research on that. It may help.
I think it's fine if you put a few AdSense ads up. Even some of the more respected sites that constantly touch on controversial issues will be filled with ads, and they still manage to sustain a more than decent user base. If you feel that it's against your morals, donate the revenue to a charity or organization (as suggested above).
If you feel the ethical problem, Use Ads to cover your costs and give the rest to charity. Like this everyone should be happy.
Thanks guys, I was thinking along the lines of a percentage donation as this could be part of the marketing strategy too.
Also, if you build a strong blog with fresh & original content, a lot of similar politics-oriented forums might want to be associated with you. So you could earn via link sales as well. Yeah, and the charity donation is a real good solution.