There’ve been blogger codes of ethics.

There are best practices that we can discuss and adhere to.

This kinda thing has been going on for as long as online communities have been around.

I like the saying done by The Well: YOYOW: You Own Your Own Words (Search in Google for the phrase “you own your own words” for more). When it comes to matters of plagiarism, there’s a downside.

Communities talk about the values that they share.

This is a fun and wild and wooly sphere. In time, best practices emerge.

I’m all for the occasional statement affirming those practices that are agreed to be best, ethical, and moral.

But codifying them? eh, not so much. Turning them into a boundary that declares these people as “inside” and these other people as “outside”? See yawl later, I got other things to do.

It seems to me that the “Golden Rule” should apply in blogging as it does in other areas of life. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Simple. Effective. And a great “rule” to live by.

The idea of making GeneaBloggers a “formal” community has been discussed before. Personally, I like it the way it is – an informal, loose-knit group of people blogging about something they love. Simple. Effective.

The community of geneabloggers defined by “People who blog about genealogy.” The idea of a ‘Code of Conduct’ being developed for this amorphous group of people leads to the question “who has the right to do so?” Who are the leaders, and when did we vote on them? I know I never got a ballot.

And a community defined by this blog, owned by Thomas. The ‘tagline’ for the blog is “The genealogy community’s resource for blogging.” So it appears he looks at his blog as a resource for the amorphous community defined above — not as a community separate in itself.

As Michael Hait states, Thomas certainly has a right to decide which bloggers he includes in his Genealogy Blog Listing. And he can come up with any guidelines he likes for that listing. And make them public, or not. It is his blog, and his decision.

However, I’ve been a member of the genealogy blogging community since April of 2007, and object strongly if Irish Mason really believes that Thomas created this community with this website. – as Geneabloggers.com was created in January of 2009. The genealogy blogging community was around long before that. Before even I came on board.

It *IS* my *RIGHT* to blog about anything I want to blog about in any way I see fit. Thomas, nor anyone else, has the right to take that right away from me (Except for the government, if I break any laws, or the host of my blog, if I violate any of their rules.)

The only “Privilege” that Thomas has any control over is whether or not we get listed in his list of blogs. Just as Chris Dunham has control over who he lists in his Genealogy Blog Finder: http://blogfinder.genealogue.com/ and just as any blogger has control over who they list in their blogroll.

Thomas isn’t my king. I think he has great insight, and I have been following, and enjoying, his posts on this and his other blogs for awhile. His, and a hundred other geneabloggers. But he doesn’t have the standing to create a Code of Conduct I have to sign before I can blog about genealogy.

I just want to add my thumbs up to what Michael Hait wrote. That’s common sense too. It’s not a right we have to be a part of this community – it’s a privilege. We wouldn’t have that privilege if Thomas hadn’t started this community. Many thanks to him for all he’s done – non stop working it seems like!

I don’t know the issues with Terry but it’s interesting to note that he’s obviously still following geneabloggers. It’s a great community!

Great input, Myrt! I always love reading your thoughts! Great input from everyone!

At the moment I’m really glad I left running that surname list I mentioned. Even though I dearly loved it with a deep passion – the constant overstepping of boundaries by listmembers wore me out. I’m still hiding from them. LOL I don’t want to see Thomas ride off into the sunset as I did. Just sayin….

Common sense & respect always strike me as the logical “answers”. Unfortunately there are people – and we have to accept that fact – that will overstep in any group.

Whatever you feel you need to do, Thomas – I support you. And I thank you MUCHOS!

Although I’ve left literally hundreds of comments on fellow geneablogger sites, this is a pleasure – not a commitment.

Genealogy vendors ???
Why should I commit to leave feedback to “vendors and others involved in the field?

Is Geneabloggers now a commercial operation! Did I miss something?

Confused in Montreal

Although the situation that was done was done privately, but when it became public there was a need for some action.

Thomas, I think the code is an excellent idea. It shows a paticular standard that we as Bloggers expect and violation will not be tolerated.

Now for those that is so concerned about censorship and what you can and cant put on you’re Blog:

1) you’re Blog is you’re Blog. You can write abt whatever you like and If I don’t like it I won’t read it.

2) If you are so worried abt Tweeting something other than Genealogy, form a different Twitter account and make it personal.

There goes that Common Sense again. Some have turned this into an issue other than what it is:

There are rules to follow whether in life or in the Genealogy Community. You can follow the rules or move on.

Like I say you are in a Community and if you don’t like it MOVE!! Just like you do in you’re own neighborhood!!
Felicia