Do industry leading bloggers have the moral right to speculate or to report on speculation?  Do we hold them to a higher standard?  Should we? 

Is it irresponsible for an industry leading blogger not to share important relevant rumors with their constituency? 

Jeremiah Owyang is one the most respected names in the social media industry.  So when Jeremiah writes, people pay attention.  Just a few hours ago, Jeremiah posted a few questions related to rumors circulating about Mzinga, a company that may be on the verge of something drastic.  He stated the facts.  He shared a high level overview of some of the rumors circulating about this company while seeking to distance himself from a world of rumor and speculation.

As with all potentially controversial posts, the comments lit up.  As did Twitter.  I have the utmost respect for both CK and Jeremiah (as I'm sure they do for each other), and this post is not meant to call out one or the other.

But the question remains: should a blogger share an important or compelling rumor?

Mzinga Twitter Conversation as of 8:20ish PM EST
Note: the opinions expressed in the conversation below do not necessarily reflect those cited or @messaged. These are individual's thoughts, captured as a snapshot in time and may not accurately reflect current sentiment. This is not the original image that was included in this post.  This visual has been updated at the request of those featured.  My sincerest apologies for any confusion.