Saluting the Flag
I don't see me having a long future here at Blogger since they've started with the thought police policies. I don't like that stinking flag (up at the top) one iota. I don't like the idea that we now have to look over our shoulders and be afraid to say what we want, because "someone" might be offended.
I am just letting people know that it was fun while it lasted, but if I'm going to be edited, than I'm going to get paid too.
What's your opinion?
I don't see me having a long future here at Blogger since they've started with the thought police policies. I don't like that stinking flag (up at the top) one iota. I don't like the idea that we now have to look over our shoulders and be afraid to say what we want, because "someone" might be offended.
I am just letting people know that it was fun while it lasted, but if I'm going to be edited, than I'm going to get paid too.
What's your opinion?
posted by mary bishop | 4:20 PM
24 Comments:
I'm not a huge fan of the idea either. On the other hand, unless I write something really really nasty and hate-filled, all they're going to do is un-list my blog on blogger.com. As I'm not all that concerned about the number of new hits I get, that doesn't really bother me.
I read through the "flag-files" from the 'What's this?' Link. They point out that one person's vulgarity is another person's poetry.
My impression is that they're targeting spam and hate speech. So I guess I can't go on about how much better the world would be if we eliminated all curly haired, cappuccino addicts named after shimmering rocks.
Cap'n and Sylow - what I don't like is this is just the beginning...there are always sound reasons behind censorship...(according to those that do it...)
Just like on the television, we do not have to read through or look at material we find offensive. We don't need a flag...
We'll get used to the flag and then there'll be more rules. My guess is we will all have to be Bush loving Christians or we'll be reported.
Blogger was once a free spot to be but now it will be monitored and we all will be monitored and sometimes I want to be nasty and hate-filled...so what?
Personally I find religious sites offensive because I'm not religious. Now if they wanted to target spam..have a spam flag to alert them to the fact that someone has left spam on your blog, though at this point I don't care...it would have to be lots of spam every day.
It's not about spam, it's about control...
Keep in mind, however, that there are a LOT of bloggers who aren't American and either couldn't care less about Bush, or dislike and are frightened by him (this seems to be true for a relatively large number of Americans too for that matter). In terms of general population of the world, and the blogosphere in particular, Bush-loving Christians are a fairly small minority.
I think, by spam, they're referring to the spam blogs - if you hit "next blog" enough you'll find them - pages and pages of nonesense searchwords for the search engines....too many of those out there.
This only seems to apply to blogs that are hosted by blogspot.com. My blog is hosted on an independent server and thus does not have the toolbar or flag.
So the workaround is to have your blog hosted elsewhere.
I think that they should have the flag, but that they should only use it to get rid of spam. "That isn't necessary because we already have policies"? Screw you. I've stopped hitting the "Next" button because every other 'blog is spam. The flag would solve that problem.
I also hear there is a way to remove the toolbar entirely, even if you are not a paid member. Not that I would ever advocate anything like that.
Cap'n - so what if next blog is a spam blog...so what? So we skip over it. Maybe some of us might even read what they're selling just for the hell of it.
As for Blogger, if they want to eliminate a blog which is all spam..then let them go for it. Let them do it. It isn't our job.
That would mean no participation on other bloggers' parts, no generalized implied threats towards us and no wiggle room for anyone who wants to become the new Cato...if Blogger should choose that rather sensible route.
Dave, yes, it's true...there are other blog hosts that so far are allowing people to be free...but you and I both know that your blog host won't stay free much longer either..once one is on your case, they all will follow. If they get away with it here, other hosts will do the same...
CB - a rare time we disagree. I would rather have spam and freedom from scrutiny than a spam free community. How does spam hurt us? It might hurt Blogger, then fine, let them deal with it.
Next thing you know political blogs like yours, could be labeled Spam, only because they don't like your politics. What a shame that would be...
I've posted this a million times but always want to post it one more...because this is how it all starts:
In Germany they first came for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me —
and by that time no one was left to speak up.
Pastor Martin Niemöller
-------
Let there be spam...only because once that is all eradicated, something else will take its place -- like your blog or mine.
I've had one Spammer on my blog...big deal. If it isn't an effective marketing tool they'll be off and away.
Each blogger has the ability to trash the comment...we also have the ability to not press NEXT BLOG or if we do, and we don't like the content for any reason..we can move on.
Freedom, nothing like it and becoming rarer than the Dodo bird.
Blogger says: So we're relying on you, the users, to be our eyes on the web, and to let us know of potential issues that are important to you.
God, this does remind me of WWII when children were taught that very same concept and were turning in their parents...
No wonder why I'm so generally pissed off lately... you can run, but you can't hide...
The only thing I would definitely ban would be child pornography, especially considering that it's illegal in this country anyway. Otherwise, I completely agree with you!
By the way, there's a way to avoid automatic spamming, which is what I did on my blog.
I will not let you stop blogging. You are forbidden to do that.
Go to Typepad, go to wherever, find a different Blog program, whatever. But you will not stop.
Please confirm that you have read, understood, and will comply with this directive.
This is not negotiable. In a Blogworld that is increasingly bleak and negative, you are a life-giving force and necessary to maintain the balance of the universe.
That is all.
MB
Don't do it plz. Let us wait and see.
Irina, how do you keep spam off your blog? I was actually kind of proud when I got my first spam...I felt like I'd made it...
Doc - I'd still take Spog (love that word) over Flag...worst part about all this is I feel like writing FUCK in 46 pt type all over my blog.
Nilbo and Jac - I will do a wait/see and let the flags fall where they may - but I'm really saddened by Blogger's new move to bring spies into my blog or yours.
As Irina says, there are some things, like child porn that I would not bear. I'd contact someone if I saw that...I'm not big on pictures of puppy killing either, but that content would not need a world of bloggers to click the flag button.
The flags are also similar to the Just say NO to drugs campaign in the 80's when it was alright to turn in your parents for smoking pot. I just thought of this when you said this reminds you of WWII children turning their parents in....
I'm not a fan of the flags either but I do like the free aspect of blogger and if it gets rid of the spammers than I'm all for it. But nothing ever stays that 'pure' so it will be interesting to see how it plays out.
Acumama -- I know I am a radical in many ways - but I feel that spam is a small price to pay for freedom.
In order for me to protest the war, for example, I have to allow the KKK to march through my town. I don't like it at all, but one must allow other ideas and thoughts to be expressed if we are to be allowed to express ours.
Freedom does come with a price. In Bloggerland, it might be having to remove pesky spam.
Think of the junk mail you get daily delivered by the mail carrier. I hate it and it takes up time to go through and dump it -- but would I like someone to read my mail, decide what's junk mail and what isn't to protect me from this small annoyance?
In the 1800s a person (can't think of the name of this altruistic smutraker...) "donated" his time to go through and read private mail for the "benefit" of the people -- he was looking for pornography -- censorship sneaks in the back door while presenting a fine concept like protecting people and making life easier for people, then once a foot is in the door, the concept becomes altered and we deal with deciding who should be the arbiter of good taste, obscenity, "hate" blogs etc. As long as it is I --then I have no problem. ;-)
All our freedoms hang on a delicate thread, in my mind --and this is just another way to lose what was so precious about Blogger - its lack of monitoring the writing, photographs and thoughts of the bloggers.
I don't even go to the library anymore since the Patriot act which allows the feds to access a list of the books, movies etc we borrow.
Cops can stop us in "road blocks" looking for drunk drivers, but even if you are stone sober you are pulled aside and interviewed.
Fingerprinting kids sounds like a great way to protect them when in reality it is a way to build up a data base of fingerprints that can be used for any reason...
I'm getting off my soap box now. But, can you tell how much I hate the new flag system???
mb, I agree but I don't want you to go!
Maybe you should recommend that they add a second flag. We could have have red and green flags, and turn it into a democratic voting system to identify the best blogs.
Oh wait, porn would still be #1. Forget that idea.
I had no idea that blogger was doing this. I'm glad you dont find my site offensive; condidering I'm a christian and dont hide that fact. I dont find yours offensive regardless of your religion or non-religion stance.
Actually, I love your blog! Its not for someone else to say...look at that, I'm offended, burn her at the stake.
I dont know the extent to which blogger is doing this, I dont use blogger. Thank goodness I dont, because I'd be upset that 'someone' is 'monitoring' my every keystroke.
I dont want you to stop blogging either. I learn alot from you. As I'm sure many do. I'm glad your doing the wait/see, and I hope you dont choose to stop. If you move, I'm sure everyone here would still read you.
I put a link to this on my post for today.
I think Kitsune said it perfectly.
Well, my post is all about this FLAG issue today. I'm sick of being censored and boycott any form of censorship typically. I have a site already of my own I may just figure out and host my blog there with movable type. I'm still deciding. It's really redundant of me to have the laurenbove.blogspot and my old laurenbove dot com just sitting there doing nothing but costing me. Then I could be really naughty.
I think until I get that going, I'm going to try and get flagged as often as possible.
Thank you and good night.
Weetzie...I won't run with my tail between my legs...but I won't wave the white flag either...
Sylow - I think there should be flags everywhere - flags for typo reporting; flags for poor grammar and flags for fuzzy photos and flags for bad poetry...that would just be a beginning...
As I said over at LB's WAIVE THE FLAG!!!
Kit - you say it so well I love your comment and the intelligence it reflects.
If Blogger were concerned about adult content (I'm assuming this would be to keep the children from seeing or reading something considered adult, because I think as adults we have the right to see adult content!) then it could create a Blogger Jr. for young bloggers.
Lawbrat - I find your site delightful and informative. I have always found that true Christians are never the fanatics that want to use religion to promote their own political agendas. (think Dominionists)
I agree that Kit said it perfectly as well.
LB - great post today...I'm going to make some chewies and go out and flog my flag. (sounds dirty, doesn't it?)
Jesus this pisses me off!
Thank you Lauren very much for making me flag-free. Dear readers, if the flag offends thee, Lauren will take it out, painlessly for you!
What I did was I went to Template, then Settings, then Comments section, and enabled a feature that's word verification or something like that. You need to republish the blog - and voila!
Irina..thank you! Between you and Lauren I am going to regain my blog! You are so clever! Hmmm I am thinking now that Summer has that going on too...
Only thing is I sort of like Spam...in some odd way...go figure...
Post a Comment
<< Home