As I mentioned yesterday, I get lots of update emails from sites/blogs that I like to check out regularly. This morning, an update arrived from a site that usually I look forward to reading and really enjoy.
I was somewhat astounded to find myself in the middle of a VERY heated exchange between the publishers of the site, a possible advertiser and anyone else who wanted to wade in with a comment. I'm not entering in to this nor do I wish to pull my readers in. However, it highlighted several areas which I have been thinking about this morning.
First:
Advertising -
Blogs can be a lucrative way of earning money by selling advertising space on them. I don't do this because I don't want to feel any obligation. I want to say, I don't like or I LOVE that without any conflict of interest. Putting a comment somewhere that I've been given the product or had a free stay doesn't quite cut it with me.
Second:
Anonymity -
I will not publish any comments that are anonymous. If you don't want your name published for a specific reason, please tell me and I will let you know if I feel I can keep it private. If we don't agree, I just won't publish your comment. The same will also apply to comments that add links to products that I cannot remove, they won't be published either. I'm not saying you can't disagree with me but I feel if I make this "rule", we will all think twice before making offensive comments.
Third, and I guess the biggy:
Politics, Race, Religion & Gender -
You are a human being, so am I. I will treat you as I would wish to be treated. To be blunt, I don't care about your opinions on these issues, they belong to you so ... keep them to yourself and I will do the same.
I hope that through this blog and my website, you can see that generally, I am a fairly straightforward, happy, kind, tolerant individual. But every now and then, things need to be said. I hope that by saying them now, you never end up looking at this blog and finding yourself in the middle of something that is really quite unpleasant over which you have no control.
So there you have it. Rant over. PLEASE let me know your thoughts on my three guiding principles. I really do welcome your thoughts and comments.
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