Taking the week off
I’m physically ill after reading what happened to Kathy Sierra. Maryam and several others here at PodTech asked me about it and are concerned since the same sites that are attacking Kathy also mentioned me and Maryam. Maryam is really freaked out about it. So am I.
She doesn’t feel safe. I don’t either after reading Kathy’s post. I, like Mike Arrington and other bloggers, have gotten threatened and I’ve just ignored it. It comes with the territory, or so they say. But what Kathy is going through is just totally disgusting. I note that only one of the four that Kathy specifically mention has apologized. That itself is disgusting. Those people are NOT my friends and I don’t support that kind of blogging or commenting and remove such attacks if left here against other people (I leave attacks against me up, but that’s cause generally most people here are pretty cool, even if they think I’m a jerk).
We’re putting ourselves out there in ways very few people do. We should be safe from death threats and other sexual attacks and stuff, especially from other bloggers.
So, since she doesn’t feel safe. I’m going to stop blogging in support of Kathy, who I consider a friend and someone who’s voice would be dearly missed here. I’ll be back Monday.
The Internet culture is really disgusting. Today when I was on Justin.TV the kinds of things that people were discussing in the chat room there were just totally disgusting and over the top.
We have to fix this culture. For the next week, let’s discuss how.
And, Kathy, Maryam and I love you and are there for you. Don’t let these jerks get you down.
It’s this culture of attacking women that has especially got to stop. I really don’t care if you attack me. I take those attacks in stride. But, whenever I post a video of a female technologist there invariably are snide remarks about body parts and other things that simply wouldn’t happen if the interviewee were a man.
It makes me realize just how ascerbic this industry and culture are toward women. This just makes me ill.
March 26th, 2007 at 3:40 pm
I’m sick about the Kathy Sierra situation too — and understand your decision to take time away from blogging. My best to Maryam.
March 26th, 2007 at 3:44 pm
“It makes me realize just how ascerbic this industry and culture are toward women. This just makes me ill.”
We are improving greatly, but in some parts of the world today people are being killed for teaching girls in school:
http://www.google.com/search?q=teachers+killed+girls+school
(iow, don’t confuse the general problems we flawed humans are surmounting with the tech field itself.)
Publishing the anonymous may be the root cause of the problem in this case. If someone doesn’t own their words, why do we consent to publishing them…?
More on similar theme at Memeorandum today:
http://www.memeorandum.com/070326/p57#a070326p57
jd
March 26th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
It’s unbelievable how far over the line these attacks have gone. We’re going to miss your posts for the next week but I think everyone understands why you are doing this. Like you said in your post, we need to fix this.
March 26th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
John: anonymity is a big part of it, yes. But, there’s just a culture of acceptance of making sexually crude degrading jokes online. You especially see it in the chat room on Justin.TV as well as on Digg.com and Slashdot.com’s discussion areas.
I think it +is+ a tech industry problem, by the way. Women quickly learn that they can’t participate in online forums (and, probably don’t feel safe coming to things like my Photowalking or geek/blogger dinners, which decreases their participation in this industry).
March 26th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
I am sickened by this as well. I really respect your decision to support Kathy in this manner. There is so much creative ability that comes to this blog alone, it will be of great interest to see what developments are unleashed to help everyone remain safe.
March 26th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
Robert,
I feel the same. I’m sickened after reading Kathy’s post. And sad. And angry. Not sure what else to say.
March 26th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
Robert, You may find this story in the Washington Post interesting: http://tinyurl.com/2kmofh
March 26th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
When Amanda Congdon and Rocketboom split, the vibe of conversation on the USA Today blog was light years away from various topic/industry blogs. YouTube/digg/and others are part of a wider culture.
Do you think it’s easy for me to start a show on *gaming* ffs? I’m walking into the widespread culture of life. It’s a lion’s den.
What baffles me is why she was targeted (it’s wrong no matter who targets it), over people who do cause people to have an axe to grind. It’s horrible and not a surprise overall and I fully expect it to get worse.
March 26th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
Glad I live in TX. It’s called concealed weapons permit.
Too bad you live in the People’s Republik of Kalifornia where self-defense is considered a crime since the entire state is chock full of bleeding hearts.
I hear your, though, about the threats. No one should be taking anything on the net that seriously, but there are crazies out there.
March 26th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
I fully agree with this. I will follow (not like my blog updates nearly as often) your lead and go on hiatus for the rest of this week with my blog and tumblelog (http://tumbleville.tumblr.com)tumb. Lets hit this hard next week and find a solution.
March 26th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
Er, she= Kathy, not Amanda. That was the most disorganized comment.
We’ve had ‘the conversation’ at home regarding this.
March 26th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
It really sucks what happened to Kathy and you’re all right we do need to fix it asap. Looking forward to some interesting discussion on Monday.
All the best,
Theo
March 26th, 2007 at 4:04 pm
I think it’s important to create a morality and standard in blogging where threats and degradation are not acceptable. But, sometimes it’s necessary to prosecute to show the consequences of such illegal threats.
March 26th, 2007 at 4:04 pm
I agree that this deserves a reaction. But being silent is not the way to go! Blog out loud! USE ONLY CAPS! Post twice as much a day! Don’t pull back, thrust forward! Now is not the time to put your head down…
March 26th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
Death Threats in the Blogosphere
I don’t have all the facts straight yet (somebody ought to write a WikiNews or Now Public story about this), but marketing genius Kathy Sierra has apparently been receiving death threats from other bloggers.
As I type this, I am supposed to be in…
March 26th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
I’ve been involved in creating a “Social Networking” website for an area of the world where women are seriously and frequently treated in ways that are confusing, and concerning to me. It’s difficult to add in enough tools to allow people (women mostly, in this case) the ability share enough information to have a voice, yet feel safe in doing so.
In reality, it is probably impossible. Anyone posting anything on the Internet is putting themselves “out there”. And by doing so they are assuming some risk. But it should not be a risk to health (physical OR mental).
And sorry folks - you can’t get out of this one by claiming you were “just kidding”.
March 26th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
[...] For details of the specific incident you can launch off Scoble’s article - http://robertscobleizer.com/2007/03/26/taking-the-week-off/ [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
Boris: silence makes a louder noise than all caps.
After all, this post will be at the top of my blog for an entire week.
And, I’m sorry to others I’ve sat silently by as I’ve seen them attacked using sexual taunts.
Shame on me. No more.
March 26th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
Maryam’s post on this issue: http://maryamie.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!9592F3DEF41537A3!3314.entry
She says that bringing a kid into the world has sharpened her feelings on this topic. Mine too.
March 26th, 2007 at 4:11 pm
[...] Taking the Week Off by Robert Scoble [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
[...] Scoble posts about what’s happening to Kathy Sierra: We have to fix this culture. For the next week, let’s discuss how. [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
Robert first please convey my concern and support to Maryam. She def does not need this stress especially at this time in your lives. This is evil, malicious and every legit blogger should be outraged. We can’t allow the bad guys to halt what has become an important business “conversation.”
March 26th, 2007 at 4:19 pm
Agreed, this sort of thing must stop. As someone who frequents many different blogs, my heartfelt apologies go out to everyone effected by this sort of cowardice. It seems to me the sort of person that resorts to such loathsome threats does so because they can’t think of an intelligent rejoinder. It’s quite unfortunate you were caught in their path, but I’m sure they’ll get theirs eventually.
March 26th, 2007 at 4:22 pm
[...] Robert Scoble will be taking a week off from blogging in support. Stowe Boyd adds his support to a lady besieged. [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 4:26 pm
[...] on her bog and via other blogs and has cancceled her public performances. Scoble has decided to stop blogging for a week. I wouldn’t think of stopping in a time like this and would rather blog twice as much to show [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 4:28 pm
Robert, we actually had some troll reach thru the internet into our home, calling us and then leaving my name and phone number in internet chat rooms, so that other idiots could call us at all hours of the day for sex.
The internet can be a vile and disgusting place, which is part of the reason my blog came down. Our local police couldnt do much though and after a few months it finally died down. But not without a lot of tense moments of being in my home alone, or alone with our younger daughter at the time.
Jeff asks me to start my blog up a lot; to which I respond, “not on your life.”
March 26th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
I stopped blogging because of an issue like this. People find it too easy to attack because they are hidden behind an IP address. Even when I turned of comments they found my flickr pages and my family’s blog and flickr pages and posted discusting things about me. It is a sad world we live in and I support Robert in any way to get this issue under control.
March 26th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
Sleazy comments, slurs, slander and nasty stuff against women has been going on for a long time in the blogosphere. It’s why I never felt okay about hosting comments on my blog … I learned quickly that there were lots of nasty people out there wanting to silence me.
March 26th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
Lauri: after hearing more and more of these stories all I am is just sad cause, whether I agree with you or not, I did learn something from the discourse.
>Adam:
It’s not cowardice. It’s a culture that allows and, even, sort of encourages sexual attacks on women. Look at Justin.tv’s chat room. The comments there are rife with sexual overtones. If it’s not attacks on women it’s that someone is “gay.”
March 26th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
I agree with TX…it’s called a CCW. Protect yourself, you’re entitled by the Constitution.
But I wouldn’t limit this abuse to blogging only. Robert, you have an XBox. You ever been playing a game online in some open match making forum? Take a Halo 2 match made game, drop in a girl into the game and listen…it’s really quite amazing at what facelessness does to people. Even the way that these little teenagers talk to others of the same sex, talk you know they’d never attempt face to face. Ugh. Don’t blame the Internet, blame TCP/IP.
March 26th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
[...] [via Scobleizer] [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
There is a feminist law student blogger who also has been threatened on a law school forum, similar to whats happening to KS, so it’s just not the tech field.
Theres a lot of fucked up people (misogynistic men) out there.
March 26th, 2007 at 4:41 pm
[...] (5:36 MST): This comment I found from Frank Paynter. Scoble is taking a week off from blogging, and that in itself is sad. I am going to take the other approach, I will post about this until [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 4:45 pm
[...] a marketing campaign, from reading comments in the cesspit that YouTube and other sites can become; others have seen it as well. It’s said that the web is self-correcting, that it routes around [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
I feel equally sick after reading Kathy’s post. Who the f&*k do these people think they are!?
I agree that anonymous blog posts should be stopped and have changed it on my own blog as of tonight.
I too have been the victim of their vicious comments on my own blog but like you I have learnt to take it but no more.
If you are not man or women enough to make comments and standby them using your own name then don’t make them.
Paul Walsh from Segala has started a bloggers code of conduct which uses W3C’s new content labels as part of the solution. I am joining to help shape the outcome.
I only hope that Kathy does not leave the blogosphere as her insight has proved invaluable to me.
March 26th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
[...] or whomever you easily see why silence is not an option here. I respect Scoble’s decision to take a week off, and understand Maryam’s instinctual response to protecting herself and unborn child. [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
Online, or off-line. First Life or Second Life - the same rules of being civil, cordial and nasty apply. Be civil (even in disagreement) and you will get your view across - although agreement is something else. Be cordial, and people may actually like you more than your idea. Be nasty and you deserve everything that society should bring to bear as if you had done it face to face.
Remember anonymity is just a perception online. You are easy to track, easier than any drive-by shooter or street loony.
Let society deal with the low-life nasties. Let everyone else rise above it. Blog it.
March 26th, 2007 at 4:57 pm
Thank you for this, Robert. As a geek.girl I have come up against this in varying degrees in the last 15 years, but never to the extent Kathy has experienced it. I hope that you get people talking and something does change. Thank you for standing up for Kathy.
March 26th, 2007 at 4:59 pm
Scoble:
These people who are making these death threats are the worst kind of cowards and the worst kind of human beings. We need the comments/opinions of people like Ms. Sierra not the ignorant ravings of these other idiots.
March 26th, 2007 at 5:12 pm
It’s like everything is spinning out of control. Anyone who blogs is opening themselves to criticism, of course, but there is no excuse - none - for this kind of behavior. I simply cannot understand how anyone could argue that this is acceptable. We shouldn’t tolerate it - we can’t tolerate it.
There are times when anonymity is necessary, but using it to express desire to do physical or sexual harm on someone is nothing short of criminal. We all need to stand in support of Kathy, and take a stand whenever we witness such behavior. There is just no excuse for this; anyone committing such acts should be shamed to the full extent of the blogosphere.
March 26th, 2007 at 5:18 pm
I don’t care if these lowlife scum hate Kathy Sierra, she’s a human being and no human being deserve this type of abuse.
I hope the feds trace the IPs and bring the person(s) responsible to justice.
If this is or has been happening to Maryam too, Robert, write about who the people are responsible so we know who NOT to associate with online, please.
Argh, loserville++;
March 26th, 2007 at 5:30 pm
[...] been receiving death threats on her blog. Read what others are saying over at Techmeme or Scobleizer since they can probably articulate this issue better than [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 5:30 pm
[...] I do it everyday. Is it more than that? Is it something else entirely. The culture of the internet, Scoble said today. What’s driving us to create an internet space that looks the way it does today. [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 5:32 pm
Wow! That was some of the most vile, disgusting language I’ve ever written.
I agree that internet culture breeds a kind of hateful negativity, sometimes in the guise of cleverness or snarkiness, but that was over the top, serial-killer type vitriol that’s a category removed from mere trolling.
I’m not religious but I’m going to be hoping/praying for Kathy’s safety.
March 26th, 2007 at 5:32 pm
Oops. Most vile, disgusting language I’ve READ.
March 26th, 2007 at 5:32 pm
[...] Death threats against bloggers By Sue [Discretion advised] What’s happened to Kathy Sierra is not OK. Here’s hoping and waiting for the authorities to catch the sick bastards who are frightening and threatening her. Read more at Scoble’s. [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 5:37 pm
@45
Oh Sam, we are on to you now.
March 26th, 2007 at 5:39 pm
That’s not right. I’m I would take the week off, too. Although they are probably not actual “threats” (it’s very easy to be hidden in front of a keyboard), it’s scary, no doubt.
Take care.
March 26th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
Oops:
That’s not right (for them to be threatening bloggers, like yourself). I would take….
March 26th, 2007 at 5:42 pm
Absolutely disgusting. I can’t believe people are willing to go as low as this, whether they mean it or not.
A week off for me as well.
March 26th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
[...] bloggers such as Robert Scoble and Mike Arrington are saying enough is enough. But you can do something too, next time you are [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 5:52 pm
Hmmm, well, wow. While I am disgusted at the threats, I do not see the connection between that and quitting blogging. Lets see, if I was threatened with death in a physical encounter, would I expect my friends to quit living their life? Would they even do it? Blogging is not the problem, unless you buy into the “guns kill people” mindset. C’mon - blogging kills people?!?!? What are you smoking? This is nothing more than another way to communicate, and stopping communication is NOT the way to address it. I sincerely hope that they catch the bastard (or bastardette).
March 26th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
[...] post Scoble’s post Posted in Life in Every [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 5:57 pm
[...] Scoble has decided to go on strike until Monday because of this idiocy. NOW I’M REALLY [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
It’s my hope that any legal professionals who are at the top of their game reach out to Kathy and offer their pro bono assistance to her. If you’re a legal professional who excels at seeking and winning damages in civil suits, please offer your assistance to Kathy and help her litigate against any involved parties. While nothing can undo the harm of the words said and threats made, it will hopefully deter future actions like this if others realize the enormous legal bill that their irresponsible words can create.
March 26th, 2007 at 6:06 pm
Hi Scoble,
If you, Kathy and Maryam quit, they win. You have a powerful platform from which to fight back.
March 26th, 2007 at 6:10 pm
Robert: I’m just a z-list blogger, but I’m wondering if taking the week off is really the best way to “do something.”
On some level, it’s opting out of the conversation you want to start. It sounds like “going on strike,” in which case your readers are the target when instead it should be the a****les. And finally, your comment about this post remaining “on top” of your blog for a week is counterproductive.
If you want to keep a topic “on top,” the answer is writing more often, not less. Otherwise your feeds disappear from aggregators everywhere, buried under a million other topics.
Still, it’s your call. Taking time to get your thoughts together makes sense as well. I was just unsure of your justification.
March 26th, 2007 at 6:18 pm
[...] understand Scoble’s desire to show solidarity by not blogging, but to me the only way to get rid of that kind of behaviour is to shine a light on it. Bravo to [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 6:22 pm
[...] with the story of Kathy Sierra and the threats made against her. Most of the big blogs have it - Mr. Scoble, Mr. Arrington, Mr. Rubel, Mr. Chapman, and more. Not much else that can be said in terms of [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 6:32 pm
I agree with John ( the post about Halo) my kids play and there are creeps a minute in that game, and probably the other online games as well. All I can do besides taking the game off line, is to educate my kids to never be that way to others. As for anomalously leaving comments, its nice to think we can stop these creeps with that, but truth is they will find some other way to harass innocent people. I hope the people responsible for her pain and suffering get what they have coming.
March 26th, 2007 at 6:33 pm
At least you’re aware of it. But you should know it’s much worse outside the blogosphere. People tend to respect the blog. They’re much worse in the forums and chatrooms.
March 26th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
[...] Scobles’ response was good, especially since he gets his fair share of internet death threats as well. [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 6:40 pm
I agree with Mike, you can’t stop blogging. Maybe instead you could change your focus for a week. What would happen if there was a state of emergency in the real world? We all stop our jobs for the time being and become supportive humans for others who need help. So blog for a week on topics that will support Kathy and Maryam and all who are targeted.
March 26th, 2007 at 6:46 pm
[...] not inclined to react as the Scoble’s have. Certainly don’t fault them at all. I’m inclined to keep on keeping on. When crud [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 6:56 pm
[...] Robert Scoble is forgoing blogging for a week in support of Kathy.. and he’s not alone in making a potent statement about it. While I agree with Steve Rubel’s clear-headed perspective of the blogosphere.. however: I believe that the community of explorers and innovative pioneers at the frontier will always have a different ethos, level of courage and shared trust that changes with access equity as the floodgates open. [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 6:58 pm
[...] (warning: links to post by Kathy that contains some strong language and a disturbing image). Robert Scoble writes about it as well and shares that Kathy is not alone in being a [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 7:06 pm
[...] Taking the week off « Scobleizer - Tech Geek Blogger: how many “I’m disgusted, I’m taking the week off” posts have I read in the 15 years I’ve been ethankap on the Internet? Almost as many as those decrying the depraved culture of the Internet in general. You all should go read Sherry Turkle’s “Life on the Screen.” There are quantifiable and documented and scientific reasons this happens. Dialog about the culture isn’t going to get anything more than more posts about the culture, which if you do some research, has been going on since HAM radio. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 7:08 pm
[...] Users finirent d’agacer Scoble qui lança donc cet appel en plus du fait qu’il annonce qu’il arrête de blogguer au moins jusqu’à lundi prochain si la situation ne s’améliore pas. [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 7:22 pm
[...] to Kathy Sierra’s latest post where she talks about death threats against her. He writes in Taking the week off: It’s this culture of attacking women that has especially got to stop. I really don’t [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
I fully agree with everything that you’re saying on this. It is absolutely horrible. However I just saw on your Twitter feed:
“WE NEED A DIGG BOYCOTT. The comments on Kathy Sierra’s Digg is just UNACCEPTABLE. Why do we accept this kind of speech?”
“@KevinRose: YOU are responsible for “b***h”. http://tinyurl.com/27t7h6 ”
and
“@KevinRose: it’s time you cleaned up your sewer. The fact that there are places for assholes to post on the Internet helps this stuff fester”
First of all, it’s not Kevin Rose’s fault. He set up a forum and he is not saying those things himself. You get idiots everywhere. How do you suggest that Kevin Rose stops these comments from being posted? Moderate every comment before it goes through? Have comments deleted? It sounds like a nightmare.
Indeed, Digg already has methods to deal with this. You digg the person’s comment down. This has already happened on the digg story on the topic and reasonable voices have prevailed with the offensive comments being hidden and under the stigma of being dugg down.
You say “The fact that there are places for assholes to post on the Internet helps this stuff fester”, but how can this be realistically stopped without having a significant and unreasonable screening process for any website that allows comments?
To call for a boycott on Digg is furthermore ridiculous. Why should Digg be boycotted because a few idiot users have said these things and their comments have already been dugg down, demonstrating that the vast majority of digg users are against this kind of thing.
I’m interested to know a realistic suggestion that you have for cleaning up the “sewer” at Digg that is feasible and more effective than the current digging down of offensive comments? Your suggestion to boycott did is very kneejerk and really I don’t think this is what anyone would want in the end.
March 26th, 2007 at 7:32 pm
[...] me away…But they will have to wait a week. What follows may be triggering to some…but this post explains the basics, and is far less trigging than what’s to follow. I do ask that you please [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 7:34 pm
Warm safe thoughts to you + Maryam + miniScoble. And especially to Kathy Sierra.
March 26th, 2007 at 7:37 pm
[...] read about it at Scoble’s place or Kathy’s. Then check out the comments on Digg (many supportive, some total idiots). Pretty [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 7:37 pm
[...] has stopped blogging for a week in support. Posted by Garrett on March 26th, 2007 in Blogging [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
@Jeff Hume:
“You say “The fact that there are places for assholes to post on the Internet helps this stuff fester”, but how can this be realistically stopped without having a significant and unreasonable screening process for any website that allows comments?”
Lifehacker does it with a large user base. The secret to implementing it is that if someone gets Digged down enough they should get banned from commenting.
“To call for a boycott on Digg is furthermore ridiculous. Why should Digg be boycotted because a few idiot users have said these things and their comments have already been dugg down, demonstrating that the vast majority of digg users are against this kind of thing.”
Yes, but every Digg story has commenters like that. They’re drawn to Digg like a month to flamewars.
March 26th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
@70 moderation is not a “nightmare” Jeff, this garbage has been happening on the web for years. Almost every messageboard community out there with any significant activity has this to deal with on some level. It goes with the territory of having a busy trafficked site, unfortunately :(
March 26th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
Have to agree with you on justin.tv, I kept shrinking the window so I didn’t have to see the retarded nonsense from teenagers with no accountability posting that every guy on camera was gay, and every woman was a slut.
On a more humerous note, if the above were true, the women must be very depressed.
March 26th, 2007 at 7:53 pm
Scoble I agree with you about your choice to not blog for the next week, but can you still post blogs on my blog? Hehe nah it’s ok, I read your blog daily so I’m going to miss out (like everyone else) for the rest of the week.
…. My regrets out to Kathy
March 26th, 2007 at 7:57 pm
I’m not sure how you exactly fix the kind of culture that would do such a thing to Kathy Sierra, but I do think that open discussion about it is a good start.
March 26th, 2007 at 7:57 pm
I’m joining you, Robert, in both my blogs (the second is more-or-less private).
To those wondering if it’s a good idea — ANYTHING that helps to draw attention to this is a good idea, period. It may be a “depraved culture”, and I a Libertine, but there’s a point where you need to take a stand, and stand up for basic, fundamental rights, even on the ‘Net.
Just as the stand against Spam has resulted in, at least, it being restrained, so too could a stand against this kind of behavior result in it being pushed from the “mainstream” forums and blogs, and into the recesses where KKK members and other puerile filth reside. If we ALL stood together, we could open doors for women techs, and we could actually make the ‘Net into the egalitarian place we all say it is.
All we have to do, is say NO. And keep saying NO. It’s the easiest, and hardest, thing to do.
March 26th, 2007 at 7:58 pm
@engtech
“Lifehacker does it with a large user base. The secret to implementing it is that if someone gets Digged down enough they should get banned from commenting.”
The problem is integrating it with the Digg model. I don’t think that would be an appropriate solution. Somebody could get dugg down significantly because other users disagree with what they had to say, even if it’s not offensive at all. That puts the power to ban people with the users and open to abuse. There have been bots (or annoying determined groups of people) that have sometimes gone around and dugg down everyone on a particular article. People could create multiple accounts or get their friends to digg someone down to get them banned.
So, that method doesn’t work.
Digg could have a more rigorous system of banning people based on users reporting them, however, I still think that Scoble attacking Kevin Rose for doing nothing (when this situation just came to light) and furthermore calling for boycotting Digg (when that wouldn’t do anything and Digg has already taken care of things a bit by digging down) is over the top.
March 26th, 2007 at 8:02 pm
This blows. I will speaker louder.
March 26th, 2007 at 8:06 pm
Jeff: Digg gives a place where it’s acceptable to be over-the-top sexist, derogatory, comments. That feeds this culture. So does Second Life. So does Justin.TV.
When we all let it happen and we accept it, then we gotta accept that it’ll leak out of those places and into Kathy Sierra’s life as well.
March 26th, 2007 at 8:13 pm
[...] Robert Scoble schreibt dazu: Taking the week off und ruft via twitter zu einem Boycott von Digg auf, weil Kommentare nicht moderiert werden [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 8:24 pm
Damn. I applaud the protest of silence. When we physically stand up to the bullies, we’re taking the only possible steps to reversing the power dynamic.
Still. Damn.
March 26th, 2007 at 8:24 pm
Surely this is not a time to go silent. Surely this is a time for full-throated outrage? We do need to fix this, and debate is one of the best ways to do so.
We are, as a community, dimished by the deplorable actions of a few.
March 26th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
I wish Kathy the best in all of this. Her blog has made a big impact on how I look at documentation and product management.
That’s why what I write is could be read as dismissive or insensitive but please know I don’t mean it that way.
Let me start with the obvious…There is no easy answer for this. We have quite possible the most violent and narcissistic culture in the world today. The way we use technology is a reflection of that world view and of our values. We value the individual’s privacy and to a degree, so do the tools we build. Linus’ Law tells us that we should be able to find the person who did this and expose them. Yet that doesn’t deal with bullying both online and offline in our culture.
I understand the fear of thus bully that Kathy has as I had something like this get to me but she needs to get out and to live her life in the face of crap. For if she doesn’t, then this bully wins. Same goes for Robert and Maryam. Don’t let this person have that satisfaction to know they can influence you.
Sure its easy for me to say this. But at some point when you blog or engage in the ‘naked conversations’ you open yourself up to risk. Should it be this way. No. But it is. The more of yourself that is available online the more people who are sick can use that to threaten you. But what of the people who you connected with who were once strangers? Is the risk of the sick person worth the reward of the stranger online who becomes a close friend offline?
March 26th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
Scoble: While I agree that some of this stuff may go on at sites such as Digg, I’m not certain that boycotting them and saying well forget about that idea is the best thing.
Don’t you think we’d lose a lot in that case?
I think it would be more valuable to try and engage in a discussion with Kevin Rose over how to improve the situation instead of calling Digg a “sewer” and calling for a boycott, when in reality the comments that aren’t dugg down on the article are all very reasonable and similar to what is going on here.
March 26th, 2007 at 8:30 pm
[...] to Kathy’s story, Robert Scoble decided to stop blogging as his way of support to her. So, since she doesn’t feel safe. I’m [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 8:32 pm
Robert, I’m very disappointed to read about what happened. I really hope that all is well for you and Maryam. This is not healthy, I hope we see an end to this corrupted blogging soon.
March 26th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
Taking the week off
I consider Kathy Sierra (and her husband Bert Bates) good friends of mine. I’ve seen them quite a few times over the years at various conferences. They’re some of the nicest people I’ve ever met and I always enjoy our conversations.
The recen…
March 26th, 2007 at 8:42 pm
Sigh.
You know, I always found a great solution to the chat room douchecrumpets. KickBan. Macro that op, and apply it with great zest and zeal.
But the other one is public shame. How many people, when you see someone pulling shit like you saw on Justin.TV just sit there and shrink the window? Shit, I bet if you’d started, DURING the interview, calling out the yayhoos, and having the rest of the chat room start calling them out, it would have ended pretty goddamned quick. Dude, people KNOW when they’re doing something wrong, but if they get away with it, they keep doing it. If the Justin.TV people, or whoever it is, won’t do something about it, then terminate the interview. Shit, you don’t need any one interview that bad.
This is not new, this bullshit about threatening people. However, why do you think it happens to certain people more than others? Dude, I damned near piss people off for a living. If they’re still there after BDB up and hosed my comment DB, read some of the shit I got for cracking on STAR WARS, much less Abortion.
But threats? I’ve had one. Here, read about it:
http://www.bynkii.com/archives/2007/01/well_now_thats_a_first.html
The truth is, I think he really did mean it. That he wants to throw down with me. The problem is, I didn’t play fair. I didn’t let the little fartknocker stay hidden in email. I’m still not playing fair. Every time he tries to call me out for being acerbic, mean, whatever, I have the same reply: “That’s true Don, but at least I’ve never threatened to kick someone’s ass over a mail list.”
Is that the wisest way to handle it? For me, sure. I’m not going to allow anyone to even THINK they have that kind of power over me. Best way to ensure that is to shine a friggin’ spotlight on their lame ass.
Someone wants to threaten me, (and no, I’m not being blase here. But I’ve had REAL threats. Like “9mm a couple pounds of pressure from turning everything that makes me, me, into a flying spray”. A couple times. Living in Miami in the 70s and 80s was not always fun. After that, internet fucknuts are easy.), then they better be ready to have me, and my cohorts publish every fucking thing I can about them loud and proud. I will make the time to find where the little bastards live and work. You threaten me, and you find out just how much of a relentless asshole I can be when I’m inspired. I find that a single email with a load of correct, current information is a wonderful lesson in “don’t be a douche”. It’s worked well for me a couple times. Is it ruthless? Sure. Mean? probably. Do people play certain games with me twice? No.
People like the little fucktards that ruined Kathy’s life need to hide to be effective. Note, I’m not talking about silly shit like not putting your name on a comment. Please, lying about that is dead simple. I’m talking about people relying on fear, and an unwillingness to fight back to let them stay hidden. You start leading with a spotlight? Yeah, watch the threats go away.
I’m serious. You threaten me with harm, any rights you think you have just evaporated with me. Arguing, even heatedly, even with all the profanity you can muster is fine. You wanna call me names, great, whatever. It’s not like I get my self-esteem from others, and CERTAINLY not in the internet. That’s just fun.
But the instant it turns into a threat, it crosses a line, and my reaction to it changes. So dude, the next time someone threatens you, POST IT.
Post the HELL out of it. Post the threat, the IP address used, and all the other information. Then ask your readers to dig up whatever other information they can find out on the dipwad.
I imagine the first time someone’s life gets fubar’d over bullshit like that, it will send a clear message: Don’t Threaten Me. Ever
It is always better that we don’t have to deal with it. For the most part, it works out that way. But every so often, people confuse being nice with being spineless and harmless. When that happens, don’t be afraid to remind them that such confusion is in error.
March 26th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
[...] While I’ve never had a death threat online, I’ve been Google-bombed and called an asshole countless times and a slew of other nasty Internet encounters that I’ve since forgotten. But a death threat of the likes as mentioned above? Truly, truly frightening. So frightening that even Scoble is freaked out. [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 8:52 pm
Robert, thank you for setting an example and speaking strongly for our colleague. I agree, this is poor behavior, and have used it as my own opportunity to reflect on my own blog about this. I hope you and your wife don’t let this fear get to you; that may just be what these predators want.
March 26th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
@ In Tex regarding CCW permits in CA and TX…
Don’t know where you are getting your info, other than outdated stereotypes, but the CCW regs for both states are largely the same. TX has a state policy and CA has a per city policy, though they largely have the same criteria.
It’s one thing to be able to get a CCW, it’s quite another to use it to take someone else’s life, even in self defense.
March 26th, 2007 at 9:04 pm
[...] understand why people are shocked by this. Some bloggers are complaining about it and some are abstaining from blogging because of it. Misogyny is ALL over the web. It’s much worse in the chat rooms and forums [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 9:24 pm
Jeff,
>I think it would be more valuable to try and engage in a discussion with Kevin Rose over how to improve the situation instead of calling Digg a “sewer” and calling for a boycott
Maybe. Part of it is I’m just acting out of anger. The kind of trash I’ve seen lately on a variety of sites is just pissing me off and I’m lashing out.
But Digg’s management deserves some of this vitriol. They made a place where it’s acceptable to behave like this and they don’t speak out against it. That silence is far far more hurtful to women (and all of us, really) than anything else I’ve seen online.
I heard Justin.tv say his goal in life is to have a job where he could get drunk all day. I believe him, too, after seeing what he allows on his chat room.
If that kind of dreck showed up here I’d shut down my comments in less than 10 seconds and figure out how to solve the problem.
The fact that Justin and Kevin DON’T do that demonstrates that THEY are part of the problem.
On Channel 9 we deleted tons of comments like that, and made it clear that kind of abusive language wasn’t allowed. Funny how the forums over on Channel 9 are actually pretty decent places to have a conversation now.
March 26th, 2007 at 9:49 pm
This is not to be tolerated in the blogophere. There is overwhelming support that this should not be tolerated. I have never been targeted by hate online, and hope I never have too. I can’t even imagine what Kathy is going through emotionally right now, and my support is with her 100%.
March 26th, 2007 at 9:51 pm
Robert,
I support your move to take a stand against this kind of behavior and please come back in top shape.
There is a new to sensitize the blogosphere to these issues.
March 26th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
It’s easy to say that you’d shut down your comments, but Digg can’t really shut things down instantaneously without alienating their whole userbase and destroying their site, considering that the comments are basically what Digg is all about. It’s also about socially moderated conversation with the userbase passing the judgment (much like Wikipedia) rather than top-down moderation.
It’s an experiment in a new method, and sure it has problems. Essentially my point is that the reaction to boycott is a considerable over-reaction and doesn’t do any good. I mean, don’t get me wrong, this is a horrible thing to happen to Kathy, but things happen and we have to deal with them. We shouldn’t run around freaking out calling to boycott things which are really peripheral and not the real problem. What is boycotting Digg going to do? Those people will still be there? Just your small boycott wouldn’t. Digg wont start hurting, and those people will keep doing what they do. The solutions lie in a more fundamental shift in internet culture.
March 26th, 2007 at 9:58 pm
[...] a show of support, Robert Scoble has stated he will not blog all week. Seth Godin discusses his anger and the sorry state that creates a need for words such as [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 10:00 pm
Whoa, hold on, did I read this right about Digg’s owners and such? So then what, go after all the blog sites too, and forum owners?
Be consistent if you passionately agree with that, across the board, is all.
March 26th, 2007 at 10:04 pm
[...] I would just rather point you to some of the reactions other bloggers are having instead. Try here, here, here, here, here, or here or just wander around the blogging community [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 10:12 pm
[...] to blogging. I can’t blame her. I would like to throw a few questions at Robert Scoble, who’s taking a week off blogging in support/protest. In his announcement, one of the things he said was “We have to fix this [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 10:18 pm
First off, Robert, congrats on the new kid-to-be.
@Jeff - you certainly can control things like the Digg coments. Have a real name policy. Everyone has to use a real name and a verified email address on a non-web domain (no hotmail, yahoo, etc). Sure, I could signup as George Bush… but if yo insist that the everyone opt-in via an email address that tied to a person, then the name itself doesn’t matter much.
Quit letting these despicable cowardly lowlives hide behind silly handles. Kevin Rose, and anyone else who enables this should be ashamed and step up to fix the problem. If they don’t, they’re condoning it as far as I’m concerned.
March 26th, 2007 at 10:22 pm
Threats against our lives, our security, our selves …
Innocence has been lost today in the blogosphere, at least in my naive little corner of it. I have, in the past, railed in frustration at marketing conferences that don’t include enough women speakers … and then I read about
March 26th, 2007 at 10:24 pm
Have a restful week away from all of this. I totally understand.
Rex
March 26th, 2007 at 10:25 pm
Hello,
In trying to express my rage and unrest towards these violent events made to Kathy, I created a small graphic called “Zero Violence Blog”. I’ve posted it in my blog hoping people will download the images and include them in a small post relating to freedom of speech, and expressing the support Kathy must be needing today. If you feel like doing so, please head there or ask me and I will e-mail the logos directly to you.
I hope you are moved enough as to try to express yourselves and do something now, before violence spreads wider into our blogging lives.
Thanks,
Ron E.
http://brandcurve.com/zero-violence-blog/
March 26th, 2007 at 10:34 pm
[...] currently canceled a talk at the ETech conference because of death threats on (and off) her blog. Scoble’s mad, and so is everyone else. But isn’t this what happens when we bring anonymity to the [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 10:35 pm
Eric, yes, I’d be for doing that consistently across the board. I’ve deleted several comments in the past that had sexual attacks toward other people. I just won’t put up with it here. We didn’t put up with it over on Microsoft’s Channel 9, either.
March 26th, 2007 at 10:43 pm
[...] as a show of support to Kathy and others who might be going through the same thing, I am going to follow Robert Scobles lead and not blog for one week. While I am not nearly the powerhouse Scoble is, I hope that my little [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 10:48 pm
Sorry that those who give so much (earnest bloggers whose stimulating ideas enrich our professional and personal lives) are “asked” to give still more (their peace of mind and sense of security) by horrible events like this.
The cover of wired magazine is bad enough (misogyny so ingrained many otherwise decent people don’t “scan” it as misogyny & sexualization of women in tech)… but THIS?
March 26th, 2007 at 10:57 pm
[...] Kathy Sierra received some death treats without reason. Se says she quits blogging. Also Robert Scobele is taking the week off regarding this post: http://robertscobleizer.com/2007/03/26/taking-the-week-off/ [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 10:57 pm
“We have quite possible the most violent and narcissistic culture in the world today.”
Your kidding right? On a globe where ethnic clensing and widespread civil war and rebellion are common, yoru going to call America the most violent culture in the world? Hell, even if you add in the war dead, we still don’t come close.
March 26th, 2007 at 11:02 pm
[...] off by saying I don’t even read the Scobleizer on a semi-normal basis. I just came across this post after reading earlier today about a harassed blogger. I’m going to throw out all sensitivity [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 11:10 pm
We need to create some mechanisms that affords removal of inappropriate comments and behavior.
The quality of our discourse is a function of this anonymous-friendly medium we’ve created.
What about establishing “mark as inappropriate” as a standard for all discussion areas, comment areas, live chats, and other similar places on the web. Like an anti-digg or thumbs down. Enough of these and the comment gets buried.
Over time, maybe people won’t react to the terrible comments and just move-on.
What a reminder of how young and uncultured we are as an internet community.
March 26th, 2007 at 11:15 pm
Robert,
What Kathy and others are going through right now is simply horrible and no one should experience what she is going through.
Unfortunately, I’ve heard similar stories from friends, stalking and creepy messages(but never to Kathy’s extant) forcing them to change their screen names, be more discrete online or just drop off from websites entirely.
But instead of boycotting the web Robert, I think there are two things we can do to make a difference and that you can definitely do with your influence:
1. Open a forum on what people should do - legally, seek emotion support, etc - when something like this happens. What to do next, possible legal recourse, etc.
2. Open another forum on how to be discreet online. Unfortunately, I think public figures like Kathy will always have some chance of facing this kind of threat, but other people can be more discreet.
As social media gains ground people as well as corporations will become more transparent and from threatening messages that Kathy has received to pedophiles on chat rooms there will always be risks on being online. There should be a guideline on how to keep safe on social media websites, blogs, twitter, etc.
Twitter has been an eye-opener for me, I’ve seen techy people publicly twitter their future locations, their cell phone numbers etc.
Its not too difficult for to creeps to stalk (or worse) by using very intimate online spaces like twitter, facebook, dodgeball etc.
I’d love for the Social Media Club to pick this topic up and publish guidelines on it and maybe even promote them at colleges, highschools, corportions etc.
Let me know your thoughts.
- Daniel
March 26th, 2007 at 11:32 pm
@Rick Gregory
“@Jeff - you certainly can control things like the Digg coments. Have a real name policy. Everyone has to use a real name and a verified email address on a non-web domain (no hotmail, yahoo, etc). Sure, I could signup as George Bush… but if yo insist that the everyone opt-in via an email address that tied to a person, then the name itself doesn’t matter much.
Quit letting these despicable cowardly lowlives hide behind silly handles. Kevin Rose, and anyone else who enables this should be ashamed and step up to fix the problem. If they don’t, they’re condoning it as far as I’m concerned.”
I think it’s pretty unrealistic to expect everyone to have an email address that is somehow officially tied to their person? What exactly constitutes this anyway? ISP email addresses? The vast majority of people have hotmail, yahoo, gmail or some other kind of address like that. There are people who simply don’t belong to an institution that could give them such a official address, a school, people who don’t have an ISP account in their name or a domain of their own. It would be pretty unreasonable to expects sites like Digg to go through a rigorous screening process to see if email address are registered officially to an individual and they would lose most of their users. Furthermore, I’m not sure how this would technically work since I could always enter in the email address of someone else and pretend to be them.
There is also some benefit to being anonymous online. I know a friend of mine doesn’t like using her real name online just for privacy, but not because she ever says anything bad. Think about this: people are anonymous online (women especially in this case) may get assaulted online but if nobody knows who they are then there is no way for that assault to translate into the real world. I’m not saying that being anonymous or not is better, I just think it’s a personal choice.
I also find it particularly ironic that you suggest people should have their identities tied to some sort of official email address but you, Rick, left this comment with no email address or URL attached. I know this is a function of Scoble’s commenting system that it remains hidden, but if Scoble were not the diligent moderator that he is, I would have no way of knowing who you were if you were hypothetically saying inappropriate things.
March 26th, 2007 at 11:33 pm
Robert sad it had to come to this point… I understand what you are going through….
March 26th, 2007 at 11:38 pm
[...] una vergüenza y debe detenerse. No hay mucho más que decir, los análisis y las elucubraciones sólo demoran el proceso de [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 11:51 pm
I’ve only been following this for a few hours now, but it nearly made me throw up my breakfast.
Sure, the higher your presence on the web, the higher the probability that you’ll attract the scum that’s also participating on the ‘net, but this is just disgusting.
Being disruptive is one thing, it’s what many bloggers are all about, but this isn’t disruptive anymore. Woman or not, this is the most unprofessional and antisocial way of “taking part in a discussion”.
I hope that karma gets back to those who tried to shut up an important voice of today’s tech world.
March 27th, 2007 at 12:04 am
This whole thing is ridiculous, straight out of junior high-school, and I’m surprised you’re playing into it, Robert.
My 69-year-old mother used to run a restaurant when she was a petite little wisp of a woman in her 20s and 30s, and was also a government employee for many years - and was threatened to her face by young men much larger/stronger (and drunker) than herself on several occasions. And yet, she didn’t sit in her house, afraid to go out, writing angsty notes in her diary, etc.; she spat in their faces and kept right on living her life.
I don’t know about you, but my parents taught me at an early age that you don’t give in to bullies, or they just keep coming back for more. I don’t know Kathy Sierra, I’ve never read her weblog until today, but it seems to me that if she’s so shocked/horrified by all this, she’s led a -very- sheltered life. I mean, this barely rises to the level of some IRC ‘conversations’ I’ve seen, you know?
And by acting all terrified and intimidated, she’s teaching her children a horrible lesson, IMHO.
Anyone who’s lived out in the real world for a while has been threatened with physical violence and/or death on more than one occasion. If Miss Sierra’s reaction to this is genuine, then I think she needs some help, because it’s obvious that she is -way- too emotionally invested in the echo chamber of the ‘blogosphere’ and not well enough grounded in the real world.
Face it, weblogs aren’t special, anymore - any fool with a keyboard and an attitude can get one. There is no ‘community’, any more than there’s a ‘community’ of all the people in the world who drive automobiles, or whatever. There are jerks everywhere; and even if one is a female single parent (I would argue -especially- if one’s a single female parent), one has a moral responsibility to stand tough, to ignore the idiots, and to set an example of courage, not cowardice, for one’s children.
This whole thing is overblown, and this overwroughtness by a bunch of supposed adults over the idiocies of a few jerks is very disheartening to me. Have we really become so soft and easily-intimidated? That’s the real tragedy here, not Miss Sierra’s inexplicable hysteria over the equivalent of jeers from a bunch of morons.
I really wish everyone involved in this stupidity would shut up, soldier on, and stop acting like a bunch of scared and/or self-righteous little children. You’re all playing into the hands of the morons, and don’t even seem to see it.
March 27th, 2007 at 12:25 am
Roland, if you knew who Kathy Sierra was, you wouldnt say stuff like she’s sheltered.She travels the world, doing what she has built up herself.
these nastys came from her peers or close to it.
Her blogging and her real life are intertwined, she makes public appearances that co incide with her blog postings.
March 27th, 2007 at 12:27 am
[...] Scoble is taking a week off because of this. Though I understand his reasoning I don’t agree that going silent is the [...]
March 27th, 2007 at 12:38 am
Although I don’t agree with some of his views, the comment from Roland Dobbins (#122) seems quite reasonable.
What is happening with Kathy Sierra is no different then what happens in real life environments of bullying. I don’t agree you guys should retreat from blogging, you might just be doing what such short-minded individuals want: to disturb your activities for a reason or another. You should realize that if I dislike your point of views I could easily pretend to be a maniac who wants to do you harm, threatening you so that you stop doing what you are doing, however I would never be able to do that (I’m just too nice for that).
There’s only two alternatives here: leave it to the authorities, as you’re supposed to, or handle the problem yourselves (anarchy-style, which I don’t agree with).
Myself, I would ask that less-then-worm-individual to show his real threats in my face. Most of the times, they don’t. And if they do, they’d remember that other persons can also get crazy…
March 27th, 2007 at 12:50 am
Anyone who posts on a blog or forum can potentially be traced if the hosts and Webmaster cooperates
Being in the professional Bodyguard business we certainly empathize with the extreme turmoil she and you are going through!
Both of you are very well respected and liked by thousands worldwide, if is disgusting when a few rotten apples ruin it for everyone :-)
March 27th, 2007 at 12:51 am
You’re just looking for an excuse to take a week off.
March 27th, 2007 at 12:56 am
[...] Robert Scoble solidarisiert sich und stoppt seine Blogaktivitäten: So, since she doesn’t feel safe. I’m going to stop blogging in support of Kathy, who I consider a friend and someone who’s voice would be dearly missed here. I’ll be back Monday. [...]
March 27th, 2007 at 1:02 am
Roland, you couldn’t be more wrong.
You’re skipping a step here. Just because “weblogs aren’t special anymore” and “this barely rises to the level of some IRC ‘conversations’ I’ve seen” means zilch. So what - you’ve seen worse and that makes it all okay?
The dialogue has been about solving the problem, thankfully, and that’s what the most mature, responsible adults are doing. Future discussions about stronger accountability is in order, not stronger skin. Just because the blogosphere serves up crass, irrelevant vulgarity so often doesn’t mean we have to start spitting in people’s faces.
Truth is, the internets is still just people. People behind layers of technology, but people just the same. The vulgar, hyper-sexualized, offensively threatening comment, voiced in the public arena as a sound byte would spell absolute ruination for whoever spoke it. In an age of swift and brutal YouTube character assassinations, where a reputation can turn on a single word, a layer of internet anonymity does not excuse the same.
It sounds like you’re the one confusing the blogosphere for the real world. Behind the sphere are people. And people should be held accountable in the blogosphere just as severely as they are held accountable in real life. Does the death threat seem more real on a voice message? As a handwritten note? How about verbally in a dark alley? Now make the threat anonymous and electronic. Now it’s ok. Toughen up. Following?
I know you know everyone’s different, Roland. But just because you and your mother can supposedly withstand the vitriolic filth of vulgar death threats doesn’t mean we have to.
March 27th, 2007 at 1:17 am
Roland, you should stop for a moment and think about what you’re saying. Just because your mother was harassed doesn’t mean she wasn’t affected. Just because she was harassed doesn’t make it right.
You’re saying that women should put up with this. I’m saying that women shoudln’t put up with this.
Open your eyes, there is a systematic oppression going on. Women are being harassed because of their sex - not because of their opinions or views - to an infinitely bigger extent than men are.
March 27th, 2007 at 1:27 am
Roland Dobbins-sorry, but you really have NO idea what you’re talking about. I’ve been threatened and I’m a single parent, but I “soldiered on,” but I sure as hell wouldn’t show up at a place where my stalker is likely to be. You just DON’T know what those psychos are like in real life, although the remarks themselves are a pretty good indication of their sanity (or rather, the lack thereof).
Robert, I don’t blame you for “going on strike” for a week. I’ve had it with the stupidity I see all over the blogosphere, and really don’t even want to be associated with blogging much any more because of it. Sure, most bloggers with any kind of readership are fine, but it’s that ugly minority that gives ALL bloggers a bad name. I’m speaking as a political blogger, and you know the political blogosphere is particularly rough, with some deranged opponents digging into other bloggers’ personal lives and history for “dirt.” But the filth directed at Kathy is just beyond the pale.
I may stand down for a week myself, just to register my disgust with the way stupid people act from behind their computer screens. Enough is enough.
March 27th, 2007 at 1:27 am
Those who did this are just pathetic… It is a real shame that people with so much time on their hands can find nothing better to do than insult and threaten others!They are pathetic and don’t deserve the time of day but deserve to be put in a deep dark hole.
I don’t think that stopping to Blog is the right answer. You are just giving in to them and that is wrong in itself. IMHO we need to keep blogging and prove these ppl wrong!!!
March 27th, 2007 at 1:32 am
Hey Robert, thanks for talking with me today, and I am sorry about the negative comments in the Justin.tv chatrooms.
To address the concerns with the problems with hateful/juvenile speech in the Justin.tv chatrooms: we are working hard on making Justin.tv a place that brings people together in a positive way, and definitely don’t want to encourage this kind of negative behavior. While it may seem like right now we are passively allowing bad stuff to occur on the site, we have been taking steps to clean up the chat: we’re building moderator status, have IP banning, now requiring login, etc. Unfortunately, coding takes time, and we’re faced with working on these problems as we concurrently tackle scaling an exploding site.
Honestly, we didn’t know what to expect when we launched the first lifecast. What we’ve found is that there’s a lot of good, and a few bad things (cop pranks, people spamming our phones, abusive chat) that we’re fixing one at a time. Hopefully soon we’ll have a site that has a positive and not destructive community.
March 27th, 2007 at 1:56 am
Kids, I’m pretty sure he’s talking about the “little” death, not a real one. But my pants still fit, so what do I know?
“Why didn’t they get it the first time when I said “retired”? That usually is followed by “fixed income”.
…And then my baggy pants fell down at the meat market.
The only thing Kathy has to offer me is that noose in her own neck size ;)”
March 27th, 2007 at 1:59 am
[...] Scoble, who has been criticised by Kathy in the past, has blogged in revulsion and shock at her treatment….Feministing also has a discussion on [...]
March 27th, 2007 at 2:11 am
Robert,
You should add this to the bottom of this post before you take the week off:
[digg=http://robertscobleizer.com/2007/03/26/taking-the-week-off/]
`[digg=http://robertscobleizer.com/2007/03/26/taking-the-week-off/]`
quotes
March 27th, 2007 at 2:20 am
Roland, I couldn’t disagree more. Daniel R., thanks for the voice of reason — I won’t go into horrible detail here, but I have lost count of the number of women who have emailed and called me about the horrifying, detailed abuse they experience online (rape, dismemberment, you name it). I wrote more about it here: http://blogher.org/node/17319. (And Daniel, to your point, you’ll see that I link another post I did on a guide to laws in the lower 48.)
Robert, Maryam, have a wonderful week off. Thinking of you.
March 27th, 2007 at 2:30 am
Jeff Hume - “socially moderated conversation”. Some types of conversation are not for social moderation (full stop). This is why it’s illegal to talk about killing jews in Germany for example. There are times when you don’t leave stuff to public debate. Why don’t you just stop debating about the semantics of Robert’s post and just allow the main message to remain clear in everyone’s minds.
All you’re doing is detracting from the message that Robert is voicing. So, what I’m saying is, SHUT UP.
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