I may be wearing the foil hat a bit too tight right about now, but earlier today, I just had this eerie feeling that a war over the right to free speech was about to erupt. First we have The Enlightened and Exalted Eminent Emancipator and Supreme Benevolent Benefactor of Cordial Considerate Civil Citizenship Most High™, For whom we are all most unworthy, “suggesting” a Blogger code of ethics to be “voluntarily” adopted. Most likely “voluntary” like how film makers “volunteer” to submit their work to the MPAA. Quick question, when’s the last time your local mainstream cineplex aired an unrated movie? Thought so.
Of course, the pretentious asshole denies that the goal was to adopt it as a internet wide policy, but the goal is pretty transparent. Let’s just look again at the New York Treason article. The very first sentence, the opening line, states:
Is it too late to bring civility to the Web?
Note where the “civility” is to be brought - the Web. That’s everything. All of it. That’s not, “Hey, want to join our droll, dull, insipid, boring, pointless, coma inducing discussion club? Come along.” That’s everyone. “The WEB.”
Last week, Tim O’Reilly, a conference promoter and book publisher who is credited with coining the term Web 2.0, began working with Jimmy Wales, creator of the communal online encyclopedia Wikipedia, to create a set of guidelines to shape online discussion and debate.
“ONLINE discussion and debate.” Again, it sounds pretty comprehensive. It doesn’t come off as saying, “would you like help getting your comments section under control? Here are a few tips.” So far, we have “online” and “the Web.”
A recent outbreak of antagonism among several prominent bloggers “gives us an opportunity to change the level of expectations that people have about what’s acceptable online,” said Mr. O’Reilly,
Again with, “online.” That’s pretty comprehensive. I think that includes my site, right? I’m “online.” Radioactive Liberty is on “the Web,” isn’t it?
Mr. Wales then put the proposed guidelines on his company’s site (blogging.wikia.com), and is now soliciting comments in the hope of creating consensus around what constitutes civil behavior online.
“what constitutes civil behavior online” again. I think I’m online right now as I type. I’m no technology expert, but I think that’s the way the Intertubes work. If it truly is voluntary, I have no further issue, but all the goal post moving and back-peddaling makes me even more suspicious.
When O’Cryly gets taken to task, he says he’s just offering tips and suggestions, or opening the topic for discussion. When it gets pointed out that bloggers already have every right to institute any policy they so choose, or that downmodding plugins are already available, and thus the whole thing is redundant, he asks what problem they have with people moderating their own sites. We have no problem with that, but it is quite clear what the ultmate goal is.
Then there are the efforts underway to re-institute the “Fairness Doctrine.” Of course, we already have McCain Feingold suppressing our freedom to exercise political speech near an election. Soon, the Socialist Swine hope, we will also have to have every conservative opinion “balanced” with an opposing opinion for an equal amount of time. I’m sure it won’t work the other way around, because to this very day, the Media deny their Left wing, and utterly obvious, bias.
Finally, I get home to find out, via my favorite daily read, that the Blogosphere has erupted into a frenzy over a company called JL Kirk & Associates attempting to extort money from a poor lady, Ms. Katherine Coble, and her husband by claiming that her story of how they conned her is libelous, and she must cease and desist.
It seems that the company thinks calling a spade a spade is libel, or in this case, calling a scum sucking, bottom feeding, lying, fraudulent, criminal organization a a scum sucking, bottom feeding, lying, fraudulent, criminal organization is libel. They even go so far as to insinuate that whether the allegations are true or not is irrelevant. Uh, Ok. Tell that to Enron. I’m pretty sure a lot of damaging and entirely true things were published about them. I don’t recall them suing anyone for libel.
So this brings me back to the original point. Is my foil hat on too tight? Will all these things quietly blow over, soon to be forgotten, or is the flame war to end all flame wars about to erupt?
You know the world has gone mad when I finish with a question, rather than declaring that I am always right.
2004–2008
26 responses so far ↓
1
John Kaiser
// Apr 12, 2007 at 8:52 pm
Civility. Such a
vaguewonderful word, so different, depending on who sets the rules. And I am sure whoever sets the rules willhave their panties in a bunch to begin withbe smarter than me.Unfree speech in this post has been edited by the Citizen’s Advocates for Free Speech in accordance with the standards of promoting Free Speech..
2
RT - Chief Mongress
// Apr 12, 2007 at 9:22 pm
Yeah, so, ummm….they have this type of “civility” in China, right? They had it in the USSR, right? Yeah.
Fucktards!I sure hope it is. More! More!Unfree speech in this post has been edited by the Citizen’s Advocates for Free Speech in accordance with the standards of promoting Free Speech.
3
FIAR
// Apr 12, 2007 at 9:40 pm
Absolutely, John, if rules get set, we all know what those rules will be and what the political ideology of those setting them will be.
RT, it’s exactly the kind of “civility” they have in China. which is awesome! Civility FTW!!!!11!!1
Unfree speech in this post has been edited by the Citizen’s Advocates for Free Speech in accordance with the standards of promoting Free Speech.
4
Wyatt Earp
// Apr 12, 2007 at 9:55 pm
Fuckcivility Rules!.I’m putting that on a bumper sticker.
Unfree speech in this post has been edited by the Citizen’s Advocates for Free Speech in accordance with the standards of promoting Free Speech.
5
fmragtops
// Apr 12, 2007 at 9:57 pm
I’m hoping for the latter. We only advance ourselves through
struggle and conflictUnderstanding and civility.Unfree speech in this post has been edited by the Citizen’s Advocates for Free Speech in accordance with the standards of promoting Free Speech.
6
RT - Chief Mongress
// Apr 12, 2007 at 10:28 pm
HEADBUTT]]]]}{[[[[TTUBDEAH™
This comment approved but downmodded -2 Violence/Off Topic by th Citizen’s Advocates for Free Speech in accordance with the standards of promoting Free Speech.
7
richj
// Apr 13, 2007 at 12:24 am
And I thoughtwe only advance through respectful dialogue, peaceful coexistence, groveling at the feet of media whores, and kissing cute wuddle bunny wabbits between their soft wuddle ears.Hey FM! How’s it going,
quitterComrade?Unfree speech in this post has been edited by the Citizen’s Advocates for Free Speech in accordance with the standards of promoting Free Speech.
8
Bill
// Apr 13, 2007 at 1:58 am
I think you are right. A war has been brewing for quite awhile, and I don’t see any signs on it stopping. The only way to fight, it appears, is to not give in to this push for “voluntary civility” and the “fairness doctrine.”Unfree speech in this post has been edited by the Citizen’s Advocates for Free Speech in accordance with the standards of promoting Free Speech.
9
Wild Bill
// Apr 13, 2007 at 2:13 am
I’m so
pissedhappy today I saidfuck“Yay!” on my blog and it felt so good I think I’ll do it tomorrow.Unfree speech in this post has been edited by the Citizen’s Advocates for Free Speech in accordance with the standards of promoting Free Speech.
10 The Right To Say #2 « Newscoma // Apr 13, 2007 at 10:43 am
[...] Radioactive Liberty [...]
11
Skul
// Apr 13, 2007 at 6:26 pm
I’m kinda wondering — does breaking the color barrier make a sound.
This comment approved but downmodded -1 for possible racism by th Citizen’s Advocates for Free Speech in accordance with the standards of promoting Free Speech.
12
Skul
// Apr 13, 2007 at 6:31 pm
Oops, I don’t know how to do it. FIAR, please strike out the word “color”. Heaven forbid I should offend any one.
Insert standard disclaimer here.
This comment approved as Free Speech Optimized by the Citizen’s Advocates for Free Speech
13
fmragtops
// Apr 13, 2007 at 10:14 pm
Give me
libertywhatever you think I deserve, or give medeathnothing at all, it doesn’t really matter to me because I am so civilized.This comment approved as Free Speech Optimized by the Citizen’s Advocates for Free Speech
14
RT - Chief Mongress
// Apr 14, 2007 at 12:35 pm
Bullshit!I love Bunnies!This comment has been optimized for free speech by the Citizen’s Advocates for Free Speech in accordance with the standards of promoting Free Speech
15
Skul
// Apr 14, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Heh, at least that stuff is still free of charge anywhere you go RT.
“This comment approved but downmodded”
Somehow I have to agree with “downmodded”. Ha!
This comment approved as Free Speech Optimized by the Citizen’s Advocates for Free Speech
16
RT - Chief Mongress
// Apr 14, 2007 at 7:58 pm
I hate bunnies! They have red eyes that freak me out!I love Bunnies!This comment has been optimized for free speech by the Citizen’s Advocates for Free Speech in accordance with the standards of promoting Free Speech
17
RT - Chief Mongress
// Apr 15, 2007 at 2:04 am
A good bunny is
a dead bunnythe one I am petting in my lap!This comment has been optimized for free speech by the Citizen’s Advocates for Free Speech in accordance with the standards of promoting Free Speech
18
Skul
// Apr 15, 2007 at 8:12 pm
’specially in a good gravy. With BACON!!!Downmod that one you loverly thought police. Can we have more of those “Free Speech Optimized” Buttons? Please!
This comment has been optimized for free speech by the Citizen’s Advocates for Free Speech in accordance with the standards of promoting Free Speech
19
RT - Chief Mongress
// Apr 16, 2007 at 4:26 pm
“A good bunny is the one I am petting in my lap!”
In censoring my free speech, you made me sound dirty. Sick, sick, sick censor!
This comment is pending review by the Citizen’s Advocates for Free Speech in accordance with the standards of promoting Free Speech. We don’t know what it means.
20
RT - Chief Mongress
// Apr 16, 2007 at 4:27 pm
Will I snap its neck like Lenny snaps the puppy’s neck in “of Mice and Men”?
This comment is pending review by the Citizen’s Advocates for Free Speech in accordance with the standards of promoting Free Speech. We don’t know what it means.
21
Harry L
// Apr 18, 2007 at 7:04 pm
I say just prohibit anyone under 18 or anyone that plays video games regularly on the internet and we will all have a much better internet experience.
22
FIAR
// Apr 19, 2007 at 7:02 pm
Ooh, ouch! Harry, what do you want to drive off 2/3 of my readers or something?
23
richj
// Apr 19, 2007 at 11:58 pm
Ahh, peace and harmony has returned to the internet. All hail the C.A.F.S. All mean thoughts have been expunged from my brain.
I like pudding.
24
Harry L
// Apr 20, 2007 at 3:17 pm
I’ll admit it, like most people I’m 100$ against any kind of censorship unless I’m the person privileged to be the arbiter of morals and taste!
25
fmragtops
// Apr 27, 2007 at 4:46 pm
Your brain is pudding.
26
richj
// Apr 27, 2007 at 6:06 pm
(puts finger in ear)Mmm…Tapioca.
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