Comments on: Digg ignores obscenity and fails in its duty-of-care to teens and young adults http://www.alistercameron.com/2007/02/26/digg-ignores-obscenity-and-fails-in-its-duty-of-care-to-teens-and-young-adults/ Changing the world. One blog(ger) at a time. Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:13:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: allsux http://www.alistercameron.com/2007/02/26/digg-ignores-obscenity-and-fails-in-its-duty-of-care-to-teens-and-young-adults/#comment-6451 allsux Wed, 04 Apr 2007 07:33:47 +0000 http://www.alistercameron.com/2007/02/26/digg-ignores-obscenity-and-fails-in-its-duty-of-care-to-teens-and-young-adults/#comment-6451 And for more on why Digg sucks so bad, check out http://allsux.com ... it's fairly amazing how they blatantly break their own rules and shut people down for criticizing them. And for more on why Digg sucks so bad, check out http://allsux.com … it’s fairly amazing how they blatantly break their own rules and shut people down for criticizing them.

]]> By: Mark W. Shead http://www.alistercameron.com/2007/02/26/digg-ignores-obscenity-and-fails-in-its-duty-of-care-to-teens-and-young-adults/#comment-4327 Mark W. Shead Sat, 10 Mar 2007 23:28:45 +0000 http://www.alistercameron.com/2007/02/26/digg-ignores-obscenity-and-fails-in-its-duty-of-care-to-teens-and-young-adults/#comment-4327 Digg is actually pretty mild compared with a lot of the stuff on IRC (see bash.org) and other message boards--most of which pre-date Digg significantly. So from that perspective, Digg makes it look like the internet is getting better. Communities that are built around the idea of group decisions make it very difficult to do any type of filtering. The whole idea of having the community making decisions is that (for better or worse) the community decides. If a comment is inappropriate the community (not Kevin Rose) will flag it. Slashdot has been doing this for some time. In fact one of the main reasons (at least years ago) for not viewing anything that had been moderated below a certain level was to avoid porn links. If you go through all of the comments on Slashdot that have been moderated down, you are going to find all kinds of junk. In the US, if Slashdot was to try to start deleting in appropriate comments, they would suddenly become responsible for every comment. I'm assuming that Digg has the same issue. Once they start deleting stuff, they will then become the target for lawsuits about anything on Digg. As it stands now, the individuals in the community are responsible for their own comments. You can't sue Digg because someone slandered you on their site. (at least this is my understanding of current US law) My question for you is this: Would you support laws that would make it illegal to use the f-word online? Don't get me wrong. It might have some great short term benefits and I think it would be great if we didn't encounter it all over the internet. However, I am not convinced that choosing that path would lead to a future I would be happy with 20 years later. You have to be very careful what you ask your government to control because it might eventually extend to areas where you want freedom. You may want the government to ban the f-word, eventually someone else might want them to ban your ability to blog about your religious beliefs. Regarding your ISP, mine doesn't offer USENET groups at all. My previous 2 ISPs either didn't offer USENET groups, or they filtered out groups that existed for spreading porn. If you have a problem with your ISP, cancel your account, tell them why, and take your business elsewhere. If enough people did this, I'm sure they would eventually stop hosting the newsgroups. A free market is a community just like Digg. Somethings get voted up and some get voted down. You vote with your dollars. When you pay money to a company you are hitting the "Digg" button for them. Digg is actually pretty mild compared with a lot of the stuff on IRC (see bash.org) and other message boards–most of which pre-date Digg significantly. So from that perspective, Digg makes it look like the internet is getting better.

Communities that are built around the idea of group decisions make it very difficult to do any type of filtering. The whole idea of having the community making decisions is that (for better or worse) the community decides. If a comment is inappropriate the community (not Kevin Rose) will flag it.

Slashdot has been doing this for some time. In fact one of the main reasons (at least years ago) for not viewing anything that had been moderated below a certain level was to avoid porn links. If you go through all of the comments on Slashdot that have been moderated down, you are going to find all kinds of junk.

In the US, if Slashdot was to try to start deleting in appropriate comments, they would suddenly become responsible for every comment. I’m assuming that Digg has the same issue. Once they start deleting stuff, they will then become the target for lawsuits about anything on Digg. As it stands now, the individuals in the community are responsible for their own comments. You can’t sue Digg because someone slandered you on their site. (at least this is my understanding of current US law)

My question for you is this: Would you support laws that would make it illegal to use the f-word online?

Don’t get me wrong. It might have some great short term benefits and I think it would be great if we didn’t encounter it all over the internet. However, I am not convinced that choosing that path would lead to a future I would be happy with 20 years later.

You have to be very careful what you ask your government to control because it might eventually extend to areas where you want freedom. You may want the government to ban the f-word, eventually someone else might want them to ban your ability to blog about your religious beliefs.

Regarding your ISP, mine doesn’t offer USENET groups at all. My previous 2 ISPs either didn’t offer USENET groups, or they filtered out groups that existed for spreading porn.

If you have a problem with your ISP, cancel your account, tell them why, and take your business elsewhere. If enough people did this, I’m sure they would eventually stop hosting the newsgroups.

A free market is a community just like Digg. Somethings get voted up and some get voted down. You vote with your dollars. When you pay money to a company you are hitting the “Digg” button for them.

]]> By: Gerard @ Interweb World http://www.alistercameron.com/2007/02/26/digg-ignores-obscenity-and-fails-in-its-duty-of-care-to-teens-and-young-adults/#comment-4031 Gerard @ Interweb World Mon, 05 Mar 2007 10:22:22 +0000 http://www.alistercameron.com/2007/02/26/digg-ignores-obscenity-and-fails-in-its-duty-of-care-to-teens-and-young-adults/#comment-4031 Alister, until I read your post, I thought I was being draconian in managing my kids' Internet exploits. We keep PCs in communal areas and in the attic office (where there are two), one of us will be in supervision at all times. Re: Kevin Rose and Digg. I don't think they're solely responsible for their community, but to filter that kind of content/conversation - surely that denies people a certain kind of freedom? Alister, until I read your post, I thought I was being draconian in managing my kids’ Internet exploits. We keep PCs in communal areas and in the attic office (where there are two), one of us will be in supervision at all times.

Re: Kevin Rose and Digg. I don’t think they’re solely responsible for their community, but to filter that kind of content/conversation - surely that denies people a certain kind of freedom?

]]> By: Alister Cameron http://www.alistercameron.com/2007/02/26/digg-ignores-obscenity-and-fails-in-its-duty-of-care-to-teens-and-young-adults/#comment-3632 Alister Cameron Mon, 26 Feb 2007 11:57:23 +0000 http://www.alistercameron.com/2007/02/26/digg-ignores-obscenity-and-fails-in-its-duty-of-care-to-teens-and-young-adults/#comment-3632 No Brent. You are welcome to comment... I just don't want protests from people insisting on their rights to express themselves obscenely, who have no idea what it is to want/need to protect others. It's usually parenting that first really awakens that side of us, that's all. No Brent. You are welcome to comment… I just don’t want protests from people insisting on their rights to express themselves obscenely, who have no idea what it is to want/need to protect others. It’s usually parenting that first really awakens that side of us, that’s all.

]]> By: Brent Hodgson Copywriter http://www.alistercameron.com/2007/02/26/digg-ignores-obscenity-and-fails-in-its-duty-of-care-to-teens-and-young-adults/#comment-3631 Brent Hodgson Copywriter Mon, 26 Feb 2007 11:06:26 +0000 http://www.alistercameron.com/2007/02/26/digg-ignores-obscenity-and-fails-in-its-duty-of-care-to-teens-and-young-adults/#comment-3631 ...wha? I can't comment until I have children? ....okay.... :( …wha?

I can’t comment until I have children?

….okay…. :(

]]> By: Confernceing Web » Digg ignores obscenity and fails in its duty-of-care to teens and … http://www.alistercameron.com/2007/02/26/digg-ignores-obscenity-and-fails-in-its-duty-of-care-to-teens-and-young-adults/#comment-3626 Confernceing Web » Digg ignores obscenity and fails in its duty-of-care to teens and … Mon, 26 Feb 2007 09:11:56 +0000 http://www.alistercameron.com/2007/02/26/digg-ignores-obscenity-and-fails-in-its-duty-of-care-to-teens-and-young-adults/#comment-3626 [...] post by Alister Cameron and powered by Img [...] [...] post by Alister Cameron and powered by Img [...]

]]> By: Aaron Spence http://www.alistercameron.com/2007/02/26/digg-ignores-obscenity-and-fails-in-its-duty-of-care-to-teens-and-young-adults/#comment-3617 Aaron Spence Mon, 26 Feb 2007 05:51:14 +0000 http://www.alistercameron.com/2007/02/26/digg-ignores-obscenity-and-fails-in-its-duty-of-care-to-teens-and-young-adults/#comment-3617 Righteous indignation of the ..ehrm righteous kind. Great post, I love the passion & the sentiment. I'm not a digger, but I hope Kevin & others are listening. I sure am. Thanks, Aaron. Righteous indignation of the ..ehrm righteous kind. Great post, I love the passion & the sentiment. I’m not a digger, but I hope Kevin & others are listening. I sure am.

Thanks, Aaron.

]]> By: Megite Toprankblog News: What's Happening Right Now http://www.alistercameron.com/2007/02/26/digg-ignores-obscenity-and-fails-in-its-duty-of-care-to-teens-and-young-adults/#comment-3625 Megite Toprankblog News: What's Happening Right Now Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.alistercameron.com/2007/02/26/digg-ignores-obscenity-and-fails-in-its-duty-of-care-to-teens-and-young-adults/#comment-3625 <!--%kramer-pre%--> Alister Cameron / Alister Cameron : Digg ignores obscenity and fails in its duty-of-care to teens and young adults <!--%kramer-post%--> links from Technorati Alister Cameron / Alister Cameron : Digg ignores obscenity and fails in its duty-of-care to teens and young adults

]]> By: Podcasting May Be Pod-Kaching In Five Years | WebProNews http://www.alistercameron.com/2007/02/26/digg-ignores-obscenity-and-fails-in-its-duty-of-care-to-teens-and-young-adults/#comment-3647 Podcasting May Be Pod-Kaching In Five Years | WebProNews Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.alistercameron.com/2007/02/26/digg-ignores-obscenity-and-fails-in-its-duty-of-care-to-teens-and-young-adults/#comment-3647 <!--%kramer-pre%-->… many of whom are young people who need you to explicitly esteem them to something more virtuous and “excellent” than the maggot-infested carcasses you’re allowing onto their table right now. Comments <!--%kramer-post%--> links from Technorati… many of whom are young people who need you to explicitly esteem them to something more virtuous and “excellent” than the maggot-infested carcasses you’re allowing onto their table right now. Comments

]]> By: SEO/SEM community @ BUMPzee! http://www.alistercameron.com/2007/02/26/digg-ignores-obscenity-and-fails-in-its-duty-of-care-to-teens-and-young-adults/#comment-7314 SEO/SEM community @ BUMPzee! Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.alistercameron.com/2007/02/26/digg-ignores-obscenity-and-fails-in-its-duty-of-care-to-teens-and-young-adults/#comment-7314 <!--%kramer-pre%-->Matt Cutts: I Hate My Job 6 bumps - 22 hours, 30 minutes ago - bump this SEO Loser Digg ignores obscenity and fails in its duty-of-care to teens and young adults 1 bumps - 1 month, 3 weeks ago - bump this Alister Cameron, Blog Consultant Yahoo, PayPal Team Up On Checkout 1 bumps - 6 hours, 1 minute ago - bump this Search Engine Land Paid Links Brouhaha 1 bumps - 4 hours, 53 minutes ago - bump this SearchGrit No Respect for Affiliates <!--%kramer-post%--> links from TechnoratiMatt Cutts: I Hate My Job 6 bumps - 22 hours, 30 minutes ago - bump this SEO Loser Digg ignores obscenity and fails in its duty-of-care to teens and young adults 1 bumps - 1 month, 3 weeks ago - bump this Alister Cameron, Blog Consultant Yahoo, PayPal Team Up On Checkout 1 bumps - 6 hours, 1 minute ago - bump this Search Engine Land Paid Links Brouhaha 1 bumps - 4 hours, 53 minutes ago - bump this SearchGrit No Respect for Affiliates

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