Friday, April 13, 2007

Blogger Code of Conduct

It seems that there is something brewing in the blogosphere. It is the idea of a Code of Conduct for bloggers across the 'sphere. We have to admit that the 'sphere is huge, and it is growing at a rapid pace. All kinds of weirdos are jumping onto the blogging bandwagon. Of course, to someone else I may be a weirdo.

HT: Carla.


Tim O'Reilly has come up with a Draft Blogger's Code of Conduct. Naturally, not everybody agrees that there should be such a Code of Conduct.

O'Reilly even came up with a badge that can be put somewhere on your blog if you feel that you want readers to know that you are willing to enforce such a Code on your blog.

One of the dissenters is Dave Taylor over at The Intuitive Life Business Blog. You can read his argument about why he will never sign up to such a code at his post, Why I'll never sign up for any Blogger Code of Conduct.

I left the following comments at his blog. I just thought I'd share it with you too!


I think a Code of Conduct is good. In some kind of way I like to see the blogosphere mimic real life. Meaning, in real life there are acceptable and unacceptable ways of speaking to one another. If there was no Code of Conduct, society will unravel into a cess pool of anarchy.

The same thing will happen in the blogosphere. In fact, it is happening in many areas already. For that reason, if you do have either of the two badges on your blog, it will immediately make commenters aware of the type of conduct that is acceptable.

I think it is great to walk into a place and immediately know what type of behaviour is expected. Based on that, I don't have to waste my time there if bad behaviour is acceptable. It is a kind of banner above the entrance that gives a warning of the type of place you are about to enter. I can decide to act even
before I enter.

In the same way, I really do not want to waste my time reading a blog where bad behaviour is acceptable. We are all very busy, and it would help cut out wasted time reading unnecessary blogs.


O'Reilly even created a badge for those sites where anything goes.

3 comments:

Dave Taylor said...

Ah, but I don't see any sort of Code of Conduct here yet! :-)

William Dicks said...

Thanks for your visit here, Dave!

Of course, and I am sure you will agree, just because I have no Code of Conduct posted here, does not mean I don't have one.

Further, while a Code of Conduct is being suggested by O'Reilly, I am sure that such a Code will start coming to the fore more and more.

Lastly, I may agree with the idea of such a Code, but naturally it does not mean that such a code is being enforced here.

In a way, I have been employing a Code based purely on merit. So, no, I do not have a codified Code as yet.

Arivederci!

Unknown said...

Internet code of conduct should really be observed. As a subscriber of an Australian internet service provider, I am an advocate to that.

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