Comment by cube00
8 hours ago
> I don't think so, but the whole point of "subconsciously" is you don't know for sure.
I provide ad-hoc consulting and training services to a number of different companies and organizations. If any of those represent a conflict of interest with my writing here I will disclose that in the relevant post. [1]
"you don't know for sure" is why you shouldn't be your own arbiter of what represents a conflict of interest.
Sorry, I don't understand the point you're making here. Could you clarify?
Ideally it would follow the same model as politicians. All entities you receive payment from over a threshold amount from would be published so it's up to the public to decide if a conflict of interest exists.
Under the current approach you could be subconsciously influenced by a consulting experience and not realise it when you write an indirectly related post.
You could reasonably argue you shouldn't be held to such a high standard, which is fine, you're not in public office.
However readers need to be clear they are entirely relying on you to self assess your own conflict of interest which can be challenging because "the whole point of "subconsciously" is you don't know for sure"