So much has already been said about Tim O’Reilly’s “blogging code of conduct“. In fact, the New York Times picks up on the meme and transforms it into a headline grabbing, blogging brand killer entitled ‘A Call for Manners in the World of Nasty Blogs‘. (Further proof that reporters just want headlines and buzz to sell stories.)

Translation of that headline and piece to the rest of the world who doesn’t blog? Bloggers are a bunch of asshole scumbags who spew crap information full of hate and libel.

Thanks Tim, for putting blogging back 5-10 years, back to our dark age period. We were finally starting to break out of the “blogs are unreliable” feeling, but now, with your inane code of conduct and the mainstream coverage leaking out of the blogosphere, well, we’re back to square one.

What Do You Know About It Jim?

Well, actually, last year I introduced something called Blog Honor badges. But because my name isn’t Tim O’Reilly, not many people noticed. So I know a little bit about what Mr. O’Reilly is trying to do. I’ve been having this discussion much longer.

Look, you cannot possibly enforce things like “blog honor”, or a “code of ethics”. It’s impossible, and trying to do so brings up too many issues.

What you can do is assist bloggers with helping them define their own policies, which I “think” Mr. O’Reilly is trying to do. The Blog Honor badges were just that, a way for an individual blogger to express a feeling they agreed with.

I fear, however, that an “enforced” blogging code of conduct is a wld goose chase, one that can be easily avoided by blogger’s simply adopting their own policies, or “voluntarily” latching on to one that is pre-written they agree with.

How could it possibly happen any other way?

More coverage at Techmeme.
Andy Beal.
Mathew Ingram.
Tony Hung.
Best Headline award: Tim O’Reilly’s Code of Crap.
Scobelizer.
Dave Taylor.

Video from 1938media: Warning, foul language.