4 ms·

Does anyone have an opinion on the ethics of paying for speakers, in the context of a public conference? I am fine with covering basic expenses, travel. What a

• dotBen 15y ago
  er, I don't see what is ethically wrong with it if the organizers are charging people to attend - like Scott says, the organizers can make $250k from tickets to see him speak. What is ethically 'troublesome' is when conference organizers like O'Reilly (but others do it, they just happen to be hosting the post) take pay-for-play speakers at their conferences but don't disclose. In other words, the speakers pay the conference organizers AND the attendees are paying too. I have no problem with speakers being paid, in fact it increases the chances of high-value speakers attending.
• patio11 15y ago
  With limited exceptions when a buyer and seller mutually agree to trade time for money I am of the opinion that is a moral win for both sides. "You talk, we pay" sounds a lot more like the clearly acceptable "You code, we pay" than it does any of the exceptions.
• muyuu 15y ago
  I wouldn't pay TED prices for any sort of generic public conference, and less so if it's going to be available later for free. But hey, some people do find it worthwhile and they can use their money as they see fit. In any case I wouldn't care if my money paid for travel expenses or speaker fees. If that kind of thing bothered me I would struggle in my daily life.