It’s not terribly timely, but I think it’s a smart wrap on the so-called “code of conduct” and the Sierra debacle: in the Bohemian, Richard Koman’s You’ve Got (Hate) Mail. Interestingly, they give me the last word. And it’s fierce. I really thought when I did this interview that because I was contrary to everyone involved (O-Reilly, Sierra, Hunt) my comments would be unused — when you get to the end of the article (read: further than the excerpt I put in this post), you’ll see it’s quite the opposite. Snips:
Out of this idea–that problem behavior could be solved by the assertion of a group morality–a group of E-Tech attendees discussed what could be done. “The idea that came out was that we have the ability to set standards,” O’Reilly said. Among the precepts: Own your own words and the words you allow on your site. Don’t feed the trolls. And most contentiously, discourage anonymity.
Troubling to many was the fact that O’Reilly created a cute little “Civility Enforced” badge that sites in agreement with the code could post. O’Reilly’s badges, which even look like Western sheriff’s badges, rankled many as Uncle Tim riding into Dodge to bring some law and order to this town and make it safe for honest women. Even A-list blogger Robert Scoble, whose own wife was viciously attacked by trolls, worried that O’Reilly’s status in the industry would exert a subtle pressure to get on board. “Will I still be invited to his conferences if I don’t sign on?” he wondered.
Women being harassed online is no news at all to those who have been there all along. Erotica writer and online personality Violet Blue said in a phone interview, “It definitely happens to lots of women. It’s pedestrian and ordinary at this point. When you provide an opportunity to comment anonymously, it will bring out the worst in anyone. People are saying, ‘Kill the women and fuck them after they’re dead.’ It’s a way of emasculating women.”
Link.
Image by Mallorie Narsallah, via. See also: my blogger code of conduct.
