Comments on: Hate Speech and the Blogosphere http://austrolabe.com/2007/06/27/hate-speech-and-the-blogosphere/ Sat, 07 Jan 2012 13:12:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Club Troppo » Missing Link 3 July, 2007 http://austrolabe.com/2007/06/27/hate-speech-and-the-blogosphere/comment-page-1/#comment-34119 Club Troppo » Missing Link 3 July, 2007 Tue, 03 Jul 2007 13:24:31 +0000 http://austrolabe.com/2007/06/27/hate-speech-and-the-blogosphere/#comment-34119 [...] Amir at Austrolabe also gets stuck into this issue and tries to quantify the risk of radicalisation of Muslim youth in Australia. He also has a nuanced take on the recent Tim Blair vs Media Watch brouhaha. [...] [...] Amir at Austrolabe also gets stuck into this issue and tries to quantify the risk of radicalisation of Muslim youth in Australia. He also has a nuanced take on the recent Tim Blair vs Media Watch brouhaha. [...]

]]> By: Amir http://austrolabe.com/2007/06/27/hate-speech-and-the-blogosphere/comment-page-1/#comment-33273 Amir Thu, 28 Jun 2007 00:27:10 +0000 http://austrolabe.com/2007/06/27/hate-speech-and-the-blogosphere/#comment-33273 In my opinion, it was an error of judgement to include Blair's personal blog alongside the DT just because, it seems, a lot of people read him and his current day job happens to be as the opinion page editor of the newspaper. If the opinion page had become a vehicle for these sorts of comments, then it would be fair enough but targeting his blog just seems a bit silly and undermines an otherwise interesting piece. Bloggers are not journalists and blogs are not professional media outlets. They typically don't sell advertising, don't hold themselves out as being 'fair and balanced' and don't have the resources of the newspapers and television stations. Blogs also don't purport to be the "fourth estate" in a democracy: playing that crucial role of holding politicians to account and ensuring there is some transparency so that the citizenry can make informed political decisions. That doesn't mean bloggers shouldn't be challenged but, to borrow the phrase popularised by the recent gang wars in Melbourne, we should "catch and kill our own". In other words, let the blogs deal with the other blogs and, if we must have a public broadcaster (a discussion for another time), then let it deal with other media outlets. In my opinion, it was an error of judgement to include Blair’s personal blog alongside the DT just because, it seems, a lot of people read him and his current day job happens to be as the opinion page editor of the newspaper. If the opinion page had become a vehicle for these sorts of comments, then it would be fair enough but targeting his blog just seems a bit silly and undermines an otherwise interesting piece.

Bloggers are not journalists and blogs are not professional media outlets. They typically don’t sell advertising, don’t hold themselves out as being ‘fair and balanced’ and don’t have the resources of the newspapers and television stations. Blogs also don’t purport to be the “fourth estate” in a democracy: playing that crucial role of holding politicians to account and ensuring there is some transparency so that the citizenry can make informed political decisions. That doesn’t mean bloggers shouldn’t be challenged but, to borrow the phrase popularised by the recent gang wars in Melbourne, we should “catch and kill our own”. In other words, let the blogs deal with the other blogs and, if we must have a public broadcaster (a discussion for another time), then let it deal with other media outlets.

]]> By: Sara Tancredi http://austrolabe.com/2007/06/27/hate-speech-and-the-blogosphere/comment-page-1/#comment-33266 Sara Tancredi Wed, 27 Jun 2007 23:06:45 +0000 http://austrolabe.com/2007/06/27/hate-speech-and-the-blogosphere/#comment-33266 This is actually a very interesting point: are bloggers considered "journalists", and therefore, do they expose themselves to the same level of scrutiny as larger media outlets? There is already case law on this overseas, and I suspect it will only increase in the years to come with the rise of the blogosphere and the select few that emerge with a level of influence. On the point about comments allowed on some of these sites, media outlets should be responsible in what they allow. It's that simple. The inclusion of Tim Blair, however, is puzzling. It's just a blog. In response, Blair points out that Muslim Village, the subject of media fodder on several occasions, also contains offensive postings. Even then, the internet, a vast savage wasteland of pap and hubris, is filled with sites more "offensive". As a forum, Muslim Village should not be considered to be indicative of anything, as is the case with Blair's blog, because he doesn't hold it out as a source of media. It's personal opinion. Really, if we were to single out blogs and forums with racist/prejudiced rants, we'd be here for quite a while. But media outlets should seek loftier ideals. This is actually a very interesting point: are bloggers considered “journalists”, and therefore, do they expose themselves to the same level of scrutiny as larger media outlets? There is already case law on this overseas, and I suspect it will only increase in the years to come with the rise of the blogosphere and the select few that emerge with a level of influence.

On the point about comments allowed on some of these sites, media outlets should be responsible in what they allow. It’s that simple.

The inclusion of Tim Blair, however, is puzzling. It’s just a blog. In response, Blair points out that Muslim Village, the subject of media fodder on several occasions, also contains offensive postings. Even then, the internet, a vast savage wasteland of pap and hubris, is filled with sites more “offensive”.

As a forum, Muslim Village should not be considered to be indicative of anything, as is the case with Blair’s blog, because he doesn’t hold it out as a source of media. It’s personal opinion.

Really, if we were to single out blogs and forums with racist/prejudiced rants, we’d be here for quite a while. But media outlets should seek loftier ideals.

]]> By: AU http://austrolabe.com/2007/06/27/hate-speech-and-the-blogosphere/comment-page-1/#comment-33224 AU Wed, 27 Jun 2007 14:55:06 +0000 http://austrolabe.com/2007/06/27/hate-speech-and-the-blogosphere/#comment-33224 And on the topic of hateful idiots, here's the famous radio personality John Laws <a href="http://www.wpwwfiles.com/downloads/TheSandJohnLaws.mp3">talking</a> about Arabs, sand and camels. And on the topic of hateful idiots, here’s the famous radio personality John Laws talking about Arabs, sand and camels.

]]> By: Irfan Yusuf http://austrolabe.com/2007/06/27/hate-speech-and-the-blogosphere/comment-page-1/#comment-33217 Irfan Yusuf Wed, 27 Jun 2007 14:03:14 +0000 http://austrolabe.com/2007/06/27/hate-speech-and-the-blogosphere/#comment-33217 At law, bloggers are responsible for the moderating decisions they make. Hence, neither Blair nor myself nor any other blogger can escape legal responsibility. That's just how it is. At law, bloggers are responsible for the moderating decisions they make. Hence, neither Blair nor myself nor any other blogger can escape legal responsibility. That’s just how it is.

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