First read the latest incendiary post by Amanda Chapel on Strumpette, Sierra Porn Incident Inspires Ban on Anonymity; second, read my response…
My response to Sierra Porn Incident Inspires Ban on Anonymity:
“Honestly, on the Well and Brainstorms and TMN.com, there was always anti-social freaks. We called the tactic to get rid of them as various and sundry versions of the “bozo filter.”
If all of this results in a dumbass “Blogger Code of Conduct” then the bozos have won. Using this sort of emotional FLAMING as an incentive to throttle open and honest conversation, merely because of totally untoward and appalling comments, allows the terrorists to win. This is really stupid, moronic, and of course anonymity is still an important thing to allow.
The main reason why people are still attracted to tmn.com, the Well, and Howard Rheingold’s Brainstorms is because there is no anonymity there.
Even so, there are still bozos. Much like a private school, online virtual communities like the Well can eject dumbasses.
Blogs are amazingly vulnerable places. Bloggers are amazingly vulnerable. Most polarizing red state blogs don’t even allow comments.
Each blog and each community should have its own TOS and “code of conduct” but to try to “legislate” one is absurd and I, personally, feel that this is a Strumpette Joint witch hunt — be it for laughs, for attention, or for controversy.
That said, I admire that kind of “interruption” but if it comes of anything, then shame on you; and, if you bring shame to either Cluetrain or Naked Conversation, I divorce you, I divorce you, I divorce you!
Love and kisses, Chris”
