IAC Censorship in Blogs.... by RedRobin on The Pipeline at IndieMusicPeople

IAC Censorship in Blogs....
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What I have to say can be taken in two different ways (probably more than two ways!), but it is my sincere hope that it will be taken as a very honest and open feedback to IAC Management and for everyone's mutual benefit.

Whereas I can see the sense of IAC insisting that some technical issues are addressed directly and privately to IAC Support, there are sometimes issues which should at least be allowed the opportunity to share amongst members even to define what the issue actually is before such a private email is sent to Support.

For IAC Management, represented by Toby recently, to adopt an unfriendly and arrogant attitude towards me in particular and in so doing to censor such open discussion by closing my topic, raises some disturbing questions about IAC attitudes.

Members should surely be allowed to disagree and express different opinions without the need for draconian censorship.

Apparently Scott has departed has he? How is it that Prime Members were not informed? Was any form of site announcement made or did I miss it because my visits to IAC are irregular rather than constant (which suits my lifestyle and not yours, Toby please take note). As he is/was a key IAC Management member, surely we should be made aware of such changes.

I see this space on the IAC site as somewhere that members of this community can share and network and debate and argue and help each other and, most importantly, that IAC Management is a part of that and not a detached strictly private elite in ivory towers.

I'm one of those IAC members who comes and goes from here as suits what's going on in my life - My life isn't primarily driven by what happens on IAC, or MySpace, or anywhere else on the net. I do not want to feel judged by the frequency or infrequency of my visits and blog posting, nor by how often or seldom I rework my Stations here. Others are proud to say that IAC is a huge part of their life and I respect that.

Would my fellow IAC members prefer to see more openly shared discussions regardless of subject, including technical and also more transparency with IAC's management? (It doesn't take much intelligence to realise what is a technical issue more relevant to emailing Support than general discussion)

So, are IAC Management members going to contribute anything to this blog discussion or are they going to censor it for some reason?

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tom lee

9/30/2008 8:17:27 AM

well so far, so uncensored! :~)
sorry if you're having problems, personally i'm opposed to censorship.
all the best

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Maria Daines

10/1/2008 5:03:19 AM

I hadn't realised Scott left, has he left? If so that's sad because he always helped me if I had technical issues and always mailed promptly to assist, I haven't noticed any censorship and in general I find this one of the best sites for management/admin/support, there's always admin staff present here which is important, on myspace you can't get hold of anyone ever and never get a response to emails or any kind of explanation.

I can't call in as much as I'd like to but when I do there's always interesting discussion going on and loads of new music, too much to keep up with and that's a good thing :)

And if Scott has gone to pastures new we wish him all the best and want to say a huge thank you for his time and friendship.

Maria xx

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Hugh Hamilton

10/1/2008 5:43:19 AM ---- Updated 10/1/2008 5:46:18 AM

Scott left.

Larree hosted a farewell bash.

I support the idea of clear, timely, and open communications in whatever form(s) that occurs. There used to be forums moderated by management here but if I recall correctly management found that to be a big time drain and shut them down. It would be nice if there were some forum in which open site discussions could be had in public.

Site CEO Dave Walton has somewhat surprisingly opened one such thread here at the blogs and I for one applaud that decision, though frankly I would have loved to see a general e-mail to membership in addition to or instead of the blog. I'd suggest you have a look if you haven't already: Big 50 "committee".

From time to time I've had blogs cut off the front page and my blood pressure jumps dramatically each time (lol).

Respectfully submitted,
H

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Maria Daines

10/1/2008 9:29:02 AM

Thanks so much for the links Hugh, kind of you to go to the trouble of helping me catch up, and Robin I just wanted to say sorry for hijacking your thread, I think it's good to talk about all things related to the site, including censorship if or when it happens. Ugh oh, electricity is flickering here, looks like we're getting a power cut, hope I get to post this comment before lights out!

Maria xx

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Maria Daines

10/1/2008 9:29:47 AM

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Maria Daines

10/1/2008 9:30:55 AM

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Kevin White

10/1/2008 10:29:45 AM

Maria REALLY wants to thank you for the links, Hugh. lol ...

RR ...

Early on, I was the king of being censored. It made me really, really, really mad.

Some of what I had pulled was critical of site policy, some wasn't even to do with the site.

I remember one entitled, "Since no one pays for music anymore ..."

... and went on to ask "Will quality suffer?"

Many IAC members had jumped into the discussion, and then it disappeared from the pipeline ... because the mods didn't want such a negative nellie post about such things on the front page. I disagreed entirely, and in a fit of being a piss head ... I took my music down leaving two songs only -- "You Monkeys", a song lyrically based on pulling one's head out of one's ass and seeing things for what they are; and "The Breakup Song", which begins:

"Fuck off and get out of here, I've had enough of your bullshit to last me a year. You make me miserable, I just wish you'd die."

I thought it apropos. lol ...

Eventually I cooled and made my way back. I like this place.

:^D

Kev-

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RedRobin

10/1/2008 4:59:00 PM

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Maria - I don't feel that you are hijacking this thread at all. I'm just openly expressing my thoughts and thereby contributing to the evolution of how our IAC community communicates with each other.

I don't actually care if a blog I start appears on the front page or not, just as long as it's not trashed (unless I really am beyond any doubt at fault). The problem is that when a blog is pulled off the front page it's easily lost or thought to be trashed. I could swear that my blog disappeared entirely but is now accessible again.

I think that we should simply be upfront about who we are - Warts and all - Rather than try to present a perfect image or what we would like others to think of us. In other words, just let the front page list of topics be what it is and grow organically as long as any attempt to monopolise is resisted.

No matter. All is well that ends well.

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10/2/2008 12:14:03 AM

So Red Robin ... we meet again ... good to see you back in the swing if this bloggin' thing. Quite frankly, I'm surprised I've not been censored just yet, I'm a bit offended by that really ! I mean, I'm a threat ... I'm crazy ... you don't know what secret coded messages I might be subliminally sending through my off kilter word plays... I'm dangerous I tell ya ! DANGEROUS !

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Conversation Suicide

10/2/2008 12:29:39 AM ---- Updated 10/2/2008 12:33:46 AM

yup. I'll vouch fer that. Ms. crack*a*jack*crow is one crazy sum-biaatch.
I was hopin' you'd chime in Anjuli . I Didn't see ya yet in that LONG-ASS blog about the powers that be, switchin' to the NEW BIG 50 committee POWERS-that-be-here-soon.

RED robin, I guess they haven't deleted your post yet, so that's a good sign. HONESTLY, we need a BIG artist out there with some CLOUT, to be VOCAL & help IAC to not go the way of so many other music distribution sites.

Barring that, how 'bout if WE, errrr I mean people like me, who are "the little people", fight for this BLOG to stay FREE-dumb based with NO censorship except when necessary for OBVIOUS reasons to the community? Good BLOG idea Mr. RedRobin.

-my thoughts

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