Call For Some Sort Of Blogging Code, Now That Was inevitabl(y stupid) Options

[projectphp]

Tim O'Reilly has created some guidelines for bloggers:
http://radar.oreilly.com/archives/2007/03/...r_a_blog_1.html

Call me cynical, but these are trite in a 15 year old school girl way.

I personally can't stand this sort of thing, and started to get my rant on when, well, someone said it much better'n I:
http://www.buzzmachine.com/2007/04/09/no-t...ie-badges-here/

The whole response is awesome, but this bit sums up my thoughts succinctly:

And how does a few people signing a pledge change that? Do the miscreants sign it? It’s a feel-good thing that is not only meaningless but, again dangerous — for all the reasons I list above and one more: It makes you think that you’ve solved a problem just because you signed a pledge and posted a badge.

I just don't see how this sort of initiative makes the internet better. It just makes everyone feel warm and fuzzy, and provides the illusion of a better web wild web interweb, without actually delivering, and that is my least favourite thing: the pointless placating of people providing perceived, but powerless, protection.

I wonder, will any of these intiiatives actually help in a practical way? If so, how?

[bwelford]

I'm with you, Michael, on this one. I believe 95% of folk know how to treat their fellow persons with respect and consideration. They don't need such codes.

The other 5% will not read codes, so there's little one can do about them.

[cre8pc]

Lots of thoughtful opinions:

Andy Beal

Nick Wilson

Jeff Jarvis

SMO Blog

My own thoughts?

Some rules and laws are designed with the intent of lumping groups of people together into single mindsets, to funnel them into one agreed upon prescribed end result behavior. There is no wiggle room for exceptions or varying conditions.

The way I run my blog is already ethical. I don't need a policy or a badge or some sort of membership in a club that decides for me how to run it. I will protect my readers from violence. I don't need a badge to enforce this.
It's a given.

What happened to Kathy was devastating. We lost a popular blogger. That was her decision and I don't judge her decisions and right to make them.

I don't think she or her defenders have the right to make my decisions for me and how I operate my blog.
If I make a mistake, I will learn from it. That will be my destiny and I wish to accept my path with grace, knowing that I might someday make a fool out of myself, or say something dumb online.

Removing the spontaneous nature of blogs will inhibit the nature of conversation in ways we may regret.

[projectphp]

I think people confuse crossing the line with running past it. "the line", that mythical divide between too far and aceptable, is simply too variable to enforce. And pointeless to, when we all agree with much too far (no one argues a non-consensual sex (damn swear filter!) video is acceptable).

So why try to define this when it is so indefinable? Why restrict or enforce on a mass scale when these occurences are so rare?

What's worse is the whole "trusted identity" stuff,. which scares the willies out of me. I sure as ^%$^% do not want my personal details linked to an online account. Talk about handing the nutters the keys to the asylum!

People being theatened is bad, but a code of conduct for people who are already well behaved is just as foolish, if not more so, because it turns good, polite people into thought police.

The nutters will always be, and tryin to use a "code of conduct" to stop them is about as useful as using a toothpick to defend against an axe murderer.

[Nascency]

I really don't see the value of no anonymous comments. If you try an validate all email addresses you'll firstly lose a lot of legitimate comments from people just unwilling to give you so much info or spend the time to check their mail before posting. Secondly anyone with malicious intent will just use a disposable email address and post regardless.

I don't see how this is going to do anything but harm the community.

[RH78]

I just read the new "rules" and I have to say that I agree with projectphp. These "rules" are just an emotional reaction to something that happens everyday. And the fact that a well known and repsectable blogger practically "quits", everyone is calling for some type of organized "enforcement".

This is all bark. The first guideline they list is the only one that holds any merit. It is your blog, ergo, your responsibility. I think that all that really needs to be done on a regular basis by all bloggers is to make all comments reviewed by the blogger before they are posted. Yes, this will make managing the blog more work, but the end result will be quality comments instead of a "melting pot", if you will.

[Jozian]

Typical beauracractic thinking on O'Reilly's part.

The worst part is that meaningless symbolic gestures often placate the pressure for real answers.

-Jeff

This post has been edited by Jozian: Apr 10 2007, 10:22 AM

[Ruud]

Oh... that... <shrug> Guess I'm from a different generation? Been on too many places (Usenet, anyone?) where "I got your IP address and we're gonna track you down and beat the S*** out of you, you (!*#&#@" is a common occurrence.

This whole threatening thing has so been done before. Not just words and images but going as far as showing up at people's places. Stalking. I guess the issue is one now because of the level of fame attached to the name.

Either way, that "code of conduct" (I like that, polite stalkers!) has just one sensible thing to say. Unfortunately by stating it in an article which is a "reaction to..." it underscores the inefficiency of this kind of thing:

4. Ignore the trolls.

This goes back ages and is one of the most efficient guidelines in handling yourself online: don't feed the trolls.

Troll:

... a troll is someone who intentionally posts derogatory or otherwise inflammatory messages about sensitive topics in an established online community such as an online discussion forum to bait users into responding.

[projectphp]

The worst part is that meaningless symbolic gestures often placate the pressure for real answers.

That is exactly what I wanted to say. Mind if I steal it