Anonymous Cowards and Social Retards in the Blogosphere
- Posted by Beth on March 27th, 2007 filed in Blogs, Blogs Suck, Blogtards, General, Pseudogeek stuff, WTF
Tags: Kathy Sierra, Matt Sanchez, trolls, anonymous cowards
The blogosphere makes me f’ing sick. I know, nothing new. But I’ve really about had it with the whole thing.
You may remember a few weeks ago the “story” about Matt Sanchez, the Marine reservist who has fought against the liberal thought police at Columbia University, where he’s a student. The story, of course, being the “outing” of his past in pornography. I was disgusted by the whole thing–it was a total witch hunt conducted by some really hateful people, who to this day still troll his blog leaving nasty anonymous (cowards) comments and are trying to put up a hit piece article at Wikipedia about him (which I will not link, because it’s a travesty).
When that hateful witch hunt hit the blogosphere, I seriously thought about quitting blogging. I am sick and tired of the asinine behavior of people who feel free to say whatever they want about anyone they want because they’re sitting behind a computer screen, and I don’t want to be associated with them AT ALL. Sure, most bloggers anyone’s heard of are just fine, but there’s that ugly minority that makes all bloggers look like smear merchants. And make no mistake: there is a large segment of the population that thinks exactly that–that blogs exist to trash people and have no accountability (in fact, most of the mainstream media seems to believe it). Sorry, but ethics and honesty are extremely important to me, and even though I’m not much of a mainstream “serious” blogger most of the time, ethics and honesty still count. I don’t want to be lumped into a group that’s thought to be unethical and dishonest, period.
But I pressed on anyway, because I won’t relinquish my spot in cyberspace to yet another unethical shi’itebag like these hateful attackers.
And then yesterday, I found another story at CNet. Kathy Sierra, a tech writer and blogger who’s well known in the tech community, has been the recipient of some really nasty threats of violence and sexual slurs. Why a tech blogger who writes helpful articles was targeted is a mystery to me, but there it is. She was actually forced to cancel a trip to a large tech conference due to the vicious things said about her. And these threats and attacks weren’t even from some anonymous coward in comments–they were from other bloggers. Not that it’s OK from the anonymous cowards; it’s not. And now, the story has even made the BBC. Nice work, blogosphere.
Robert Scoble (for you non-techies, he’s one of the biggest and most respected tech bloggers, and has been around forever) is taking a stand–he’s boycotting blogging for a week to register his disgust. Sure, it’s a minor gesture (although it isn’t to his large audience), but he’s called for a solution to this crap. It’s long overdue.
Of course, we in the political blogs are used to a lot of nastiness. WE SHOULDN’T BE. It’s time for people who wish to be taken seriously to act like it. The death wishes on politicians (Bush, Cheney, etc.), the bullshi’ite with digging into other bloggers’ personal lives and histories, attacks on their children, the vile sexual attacks verbalized against female bloggers (we’ve ALL experienced that!) are UNACCEPTABLE. Period. I had no idea this sort of thing was an issue on tech blogs, mainly because I don’t spend as much time at them as political blogs, but also because I forget that some people are as passionate about their tech opinions as we are about politics. (Just look at the comments in some of the digg tech posts.)
So you’re saying, “right, Beth, we shouldn’t be used to it–now what?” I know you can’t make hateful people just disappear, but we can make their comments disappear. Honestly, I’m amazed at how many bloggers allow hateful trolls to pollute their blogs, and in many cases, I rarely even read them because the comments disgust me. I understand that some don’t want to be accused of running an echo chamber–that’s not the point. There is a way to disagree without being disagreeable, though. I have several readers who don’t agree with a lot of what I say, but they’re adults about it and can argue their positions without being hateful. Regular readers of this blog know I don’t put up with any stupid shi’ite in my comments, and I like it that way. My blog, my rules. And really, I believe that if more bloggers would just get rid of nasty comments, they’d save themselves a lot of grief. I’d like to name the blogs I can’t stand reading because of the toxic atmosphere in the comments, but I won’t because I do believe it reflects poorly upon them, and I actually like what the bloggers in question have to say.
A lot of people, prompted by Scoble’s post and also by Howard Kurtz, are talking about not allowing anonymous comments, and many disagree with the concept. Well, I’m going to go against the grain and agree with Howard Kurtz, because anonymous comments rarely, if ever, add to the conversation. Most often, they’re used to attack. Sure, I can take retarded comments from anonymous cowards, but why should I? If you’ve got something to say, cowboy up and put your damn name to it. Otherwise, STFU because your opinion means precisely nothing to me or anyone else. I despise cowards.
As for actual bloggers doing this crap, all we can do is shun them and not read them any more. Don’t read them, don’t link to them, don’t blogroll them. But if you do find them making these outrageous personal attacks against others, call them out on it, even if you’re basically on their side of the original argument.
So good for Robert Scoble and the others who have followed his lead. I’d say I’m taking a week off as well, but I need a week off anyway because I’m working on something more important this week. Besides, it wouldn’t really have the same impact, if I’m the only political blogger doing it. What I’d like to see is people outside the tech blogs start talking about this nastiness as well, and start doing something about it. It’s time for the blogosphere as a whole to clean up its act.
F.E.T.E.â„¢
.
UPDATE: Michelle Malkin has picked up on the story, and asks where the techblogging elite were when she and Jeff Goldstein were threatened. Hmm. Where was she when I’ve been on the receiving end of such things? The answer: she didn’t know about it. Which I suspect is the same answer Robert Scoble and others would have to her question.
Sorry, Michelle, but I respectfully disagree with your angle. This sort of thing happens every single day, it just doesn’t always make the news. That’s life. We can’t all be everywhere, and asking “where were you?” seems to minimize the fact that it happened to Kathy Sierra and anyone else whose story isn’t the blog buzz of the week. This kind of thing shouldn’t be brushed off no matter what sector of the blogosphere in which it occurs, even if it’s not a daily occurrence as it is in the political sector. It’s a good thing that more people are now taking an interest in online harassment, and I encourage the techbloggers to look at it seriously. I suspect that in the past, it was treated as sort of a joke, an infringement on “free speech” among them. It’s not about “free speech,” it’s about acting like a civilized human being. And it’s not about who is harassed, it’s about the fact that it goes on with such frequency and has become commonplace.
raz0r says:
And they were from some well known persons too. At least in the tech area. That’s just shameful.
Jerry K. says:
Almost makes you think it’s a planned approach towards regulation of the blogosphere. Get some rabble rousers to create a mess, then the government HAS to step in to put up enforceable regulations, and our liberties here begin to die.
Hmmmm. Sounds like what happened to hetero, conservative, meat-eating, Christian, gun-toting American culture, eh?
JDB says:
Thoae awful hateful anonymous people who post at Sanchez blog wouldn’t be so anonymous if he didn’t BLOCK all posts that don’t meet his approval by people who post using their names.
The only way to comment there, unless you kiss his arse repeatedly, is to post using “anonymous” as your screen name.
I fail to see the point of a discussion site where discussion is not permitted.
Why does the rightwing conspiracy have to so darned whiny?
Beth says:
JDB, are you freaking serious? Have you READ the comments? There are plenty of hateful comments from non-anonymous commenters, although they are vastly outnumbered by anonymous cowards. I suspect that if your comments were deleted, yours were totally out of line.
You are aware, aren’t you, that Blogger doesn’t have an option to deny users from commenting?
Discussion is permitted; attacks are completely uncalled-for. If you can’t see the difference, you’re part of the problem.
And who said tech bloggers are whiny? Who said Sanchez is whiny? He’s been anything BUT whiny. Are you referring to me? LOL! Yeah, it’s a trait of the “rightwing conspiracy,” to whine. HA! Ever hear of the “victim mentality?” You may want to know it’s something that the “rightwing conspiracy” abhors.
“Whiny.” Physician, heal thyself.
Oh, wait, it’s OK to call right-wingers murderous c**ts and threaten their families, right? ‘Cause it’s just a statement of FACT, right?
:roll:
Beth says:
Well, for one thing, I don’t buy conspiracy theories. But more to the point–you don’t get around the internets much, do you?
There aren’t enough people working for the gubmint to put out the volume of venom spewed. Seems like it’d be a pretty stupid way to go about it, anyway.
MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy » Blog Archive » And when threats of violence and rape aren’t vile enough… says:
[...] [Related] [...]
Little Miss Attila says:
Death Threats and Sexual Slurs….
I’m with Beth on the Kathy Sierra flap. Maybe sexual themes should be considered over the line, but chick bloggers will always be the recipients of such remarks, so I prefer to simply have a thick skin. I leave those……
beth says:
Excellent post Beth! There is no way that free speech should be compromised in any way. However, there was a time when it was regulated naturally. If you said something hateful and nasty you got a face full of knuckles.
Now, since these whiners can sit behind a computer screen and run their mouths without any danger of having to take responsibility for their words/actions, they are out of control.
I’m not sure what would be the virtual equivalent of a fist full of knuckles.
They like the attention of a verbal argument. Maybe you are right about the comments. I’ve left hateful comments up most of the time (unless they were threatening or repulsive) just because as a general rule I think the more they talk the more they expose themselves. The more ppl see what they say the more ppl realize what they are.
I agree with you completely about the sickness, I’m just having to think through the cure.
GM Roper says:
Bravo, Bravo!! You said what needed to be said and you said it damn well!
GM
Cancer Sucks
Beth says:
Yes! Cancer Sucks!
Funny you should say that, GM…I just said that in my “get well” email to Tony Snow today! HAHA! (Cancer DOES suck!)
Here’s one for ya, GM:
Top Ten Ways To Know You Are A Cancer Survivor
10 Your alarm clock goes off at 6 a.m. and you’re glad to hear it.
9. Your mother-in-law invites you to lunch and you just say NO.
8. You’re back in the family rotation to take out the garbage.
7. When you no longer have an urge to choke the person who says, “all you need to beat cancer is the right attitude.”
6. When your dental floss runs out and you buy 1000 yards.
5. When you use your toothbrush to brush your teeth and not comb your hair.
4. You have a chance to buy additional life insurance but you buy a new convertible car instead.
3. Your doctor tells you to lose weight and do something about your cholesterol and you actually listen.
2. When your biggest annual celebration is again your birthday, and not the day you were diagnosed.
1. When you use your Visa card more than your hospital parking pass.
:mrgreen:
kender says:
I don’t allow anonymous comments, especially if they are an attack. Civility on the net does seem to be getting harder to come by, and I think much of the reason is exactly because people can feel brave behind a computer screen. KOS, for example, is a site full of venom and the most vile attacks on people, but when I showed up at their convention to ask them in person to be so angry and threatening to my face every one of them walked away,
If you are going to be an ass online, at least have the balls to be an ass in person.
You are right to ignore the trolls beth…..but I do love it when you decide to tear someone a new one….
GM Roper says:
Beth, you are a darling lady. The top 10 are ALL TRUE.. except perhaps the one about my Mother-In-Law, cause I live in Texas and she lives in Rhode Island. Oh, wait, I still get to say “NO!!!” Don’t I. I did my own Tony Snow Post here. Tony Sent me a very gracious E-Mail when I was first diagnosed some 14 months ago. I’m returning the favor.
Janette says:
Excellent post. I should have just read this before I ranted in e-mail.
I fully believe that the entire reason people are so uncivil in comments is because they’re allowed to get away with it. Bloggers need to post and follow clear rules about what they’ll allow. Leaving profane and abusive comments contributes nothing to the discussion and only encourages escalation.
DiscerningTexan says:
This is a perfect argument for concealed carry laws. Fortunately here in Texas we have one that allows law-abiding citizens like myself to learn how to use a weapon, learn the laws, and then protect ourselves if needed.
The blogosphere is definitely a brave new world, though, and anonymity (even “false” anonymity) emboldens the sickies. I do agree with Michelle that Kathy should continue blogging. But you can hardly blame her for not wanting to deal with it.
MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy » Blog Archive » Blogger Code of Conduct says:
[...] I’ll be updating the comment policy here to reflect the above, with a few differences. As I’ve said before, it’s time for the blogosphere to grow up. Obviously, I’m not averse to adult language, but if it’s used to attack my regular readers, yer outta here. [...]