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I think this is a great move to take 9Rules to the next level. As with any organization change is inevitable and certain “tweaks” are necessary at times to manage that growth.

I think this is a great move to take 9Rules to the next level. As with any organization change is inevitable and certain “tweaks” are necessary at times to manage that growth.

So who is gone so far?

I agree about the loyalty. Not that I have managed to get in (yet lol). What you are proposing is nothing different from any business model. Applying these principles to a blogging network for me makes sense. You do not pay to be a member of 9rules and as such if you are asking something like loyalty in return - how is that really wrong. I have given up on the amount of blog posts arguing about this point today since the announcement. It all comes down to logic if you ask me, but there we go.

I also think splitting the content to adult / all access makes sense too. Developing the network concept in this way is along the lines of what has happened with the communities in 9rules already.

Cutting out and pruning your list of blogs also makes sense. The content of too many blogs seems to be boosted to get into networks and then only to fall by the way as lurels are rested upon. This way the game is constantly having to be raised - that can only be a good thing for bloggers and readers.

Definite feeling of onwards and upwards with this development of the 9ruels community for me. With change though is the invevitable reaction of some humans to be against it. I think that without change you can’t grow and just stagnate. Constantly evaluating and refining is what any business and infact anything you do, should be about. This to me is just that.

I agree with the changes, especially the one about purging the list. I hope the blog list in this network can keep up with the aimed quality.

9 Rules is Getting Smaller

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This doesn’t make sense. You want to grow your sites continuously. Even Amazon sells junk and sex toys–present everything on equal footing and let your readers, the consumers, figure it out.

Yes! This is exactly what you need to do. When I think 9rules, I think a quality read. But as you say, sometimes life gets in the way of blogging, and people will take time out and not update their content for ages. I suppose there’s nothing to stop these guy’s getting back in if and when their content is back up to scratch, right?

So does this mean there’ll be some space in the network now? Give some newbies (hint hint) a chance to join?

Man you are just using this as an excuse to remove people that you don’t like. You have removed sites for purely personal reasons. Claiming it is because ‘they’ are a member of a different network. Just because they post elsewhere to their own blog is no reason to remove anyone. I thought you got in to this network on the merits of your ’site’. You even said “but sites, a smart move by the way, are joining more than one Network to expose themselves” but that is not what you mean. You are giving people the push as to who they are and what they do. Even if this image is not portrayed through the writing on their blog.

So more from having to keep up a well written blog to keep on this net work you are in-fact saying that the person behind the blog also has to be loyal to just the one network. Seeing as you Scrivs write for the ‘Fine Fools Network’ does this mean that you to are going to get an email being asked to leave the network. Somehow I doubt it. Is ‘Work Boxers” going to be asked to leave as it is a member of ‘9rules’ and ‘Fine Fools’. So then what does this make you? how can other people aren’t allowed to be part of more than one site but you are?

Finally, you say that the network wants to be one where “sexually explicit content doesn’t exist”. Who far will this line go though? Is it ok for you to link to sites containing content?(http://9rules.com/whitespace/horizontal_dance.php) is it ok for you to be part of a network where a sister site contains content?

I think you need to be a bit more explicit as to where you are going to draw the line with these two new rules. And I also think the way I can get myself from here to sexerati, only by clicking links needs to be reviewed. Whether ‘Work Boxers’ is removed from the network or it removes its association with the ‘Fine Fools Network’ something needs to happen.

[...] removes its association with the ‘Fine Fools Network’ something needs to happen. via 9rules

[...]

How curious. That’s 3 times in 24 hours since I first read about this purge that I’ve logged onto the 9rules homepage and looked “Recent Posts” box to find some 9ruler has posted 3+ new articles in a row.

Do you have a bug in how you update that box, or have you lit a fire under the asses of some of your members?

I’d just like to say that as a reader, I am very offended by the religious blogs of this network. I’d hate for my 12-year old to happen upon someone’s conservative values while reading up on Design.

Just to clarify my position. You are a business, this is your site, your network so you can do what you want. I appreciate that and I also appreciate that you want to keep the standards of the network sites up.

I just want some clarification on how far these new rules go. I also think it is a bit cheeky that you can ask members to leave that have connections with other sites. As in the same way Scrivs does have connections with a network that some people can and do find offensive. (Scrivs: you may say it is not part of FF but it sure as hell looks like it, and maintains a lot of connections)

I would also like to say I have a lot of respect for the way that you have handled the backlash that has been thrown at you. People have said a lot of nasty personal stuff and you have not lowered yourself to that.

AA: You’re OFFENDED by the religious blogs on 9rules? Since when has 9rules been an exclusive design site? I always had the impression that it was a place for free speech about a myriad of different subjects. Perhaps if you want to shelter your daughter from such things, you shouldn’t allow her to use the internet full stop?

And what is the difference, Roobottom, from 9rules censoring other types of content that some find offensive?

Actually that’s not the same complaint at all. Content appearing in communities where it isn’t relevant is our fault, not our members fault.

Yes I understand that, but the complaints in general are about the content and the fact that they don’t appear with a warning. We don’t offer a sex category or Adults only category.

Link Mania

I’ve been drenched with school work recently - a paper on eBooks, a VoiceXML project, a few tests, and a large C programming assignment to close off the week. I’m going to list some of the more interesting articles I’ve passed on by …

People are calling this “censorship”. A real example of censorship would be a website being shut down because of the views expressed there. Removing a site from a content network is nothing like as drastic. While it may appeal to people’s sense of melodrama, casting this in Manichean terms rather than merely as a business decision is in my view somewhat misguided.

To the individuals who scream censorship whenever standards are applied, here’s some food for thought.

Censorship is when a _government_ forces a limitation on free speech. Because 9rules is not a government, they can’t censor. They _can_ establish expected standards as any other business or organization can. The response lies entirely in the ability of the member to agree to and abide by the standards of 9rules, or to blog independentally or under another network with more conducive standards.

Again, the decision is up to the blogger. That is _not_ censorship.

Another way to look at it is that you can’t go to your job and start saying whatever you want. You can face sexual harassment or discrimination suits and face termination. 9rules is a business and a code of conduct _should_ be expected.

I just don’t see the problem with what happened here.

4 entries found for censorship.
cen·sor·ship Audio pronunciation of “censorship” ( P ) Pronunciation Key (snsr-shp)
n.

1. The act, process, or practice of censoring.
2. The office or authority of a Roman censor.
3. Psychology. Prevention of disturbing or painful thoughts or feelings from reaching consciousness except in a disguised form.

The bottom line is that it is censorship and it is completely within their rights to do so. The best way for people to voice their dissent is to not support something they don’t believe in.

Any network that is ok with overtly religious content but isn’t ok with adult subject matter isn’t for me. That’s it, finit.

Paddy, while I understand where you are coming from along the lines of censorship, it’s not really as bad as you’re making it out to be because *those sites still exist* and are posting content. Just because we don’t want them being a part of 9rules doesn’t meant you can’t go access them via a direct URL or whatever. We’re not censoring them, we just don’t think what they talk about represents the 9rules brand in a respectful and positive way, that’s all. Think of 9rules as a club, and we get to pick who belongs in the club and benefits the other members. If we don’t feel that somebody is benefitting the whole, then we have every right to ask them to leave.

That being said, the team and I personally have nothing against adult-oriented content, however we do not believe it benefits our Network as a whole.

“Bzzt. Incorrect. This is the definition of censorship fed to you by your culture, since it is swarming with those who have a vested interest in stopping you from seeing the power that corporate censorship has.”

If you _knew_ me you’d realize that the notion of me taking _anything_ my government says seriously is laughable at best. This is more than a philisophical argument. It’s truth. No one except a strong man like government can _force_ you not to write whatever you want to. You always have the option of writing elsewhere. Thus. You’re. Not. Censored.

“…Porn being offensive is a cultural thing…”

It’s also a legal matter if not handled properly and carefully. I cannot believe no one is getting that.

Look at this, and see if you understand it enough to feel 100% certain you should put explicit material on your blog or network -

Electronic Frontier Foundation: Bloggers FAQ - Adult Material

While I can’t get 100% behind the way they handled this situation, I can completely support there reasoning as to why.

All this censorship talk is nonsense.

The problem with pornography is that it is really set by a community’s standard. I see no problem with 9rules not wanting pornography in their network. But there is a difference between pornography and adult content.

And just so there is no mistake, I think that children should be protected from pornography.

Ultimately 9rules did what they felt was best for their brand. I disagree with their methods in some cases, but it was their choice since it is their network.

This will be all I say further on the subject. I just wanted to make it clear that what 9rules did isn’t censorship. I only brought up the censorship stuff when someone claimed that only the government can censor which isn’t true.

Paul just wants to keep the glory to himself.
Otherwise what’s the point of:

“One content Network please.”

There is apsolutely no *valid* reason for doing that. I don’t like this move very much.

Hey Kyle, there are multiple reasons behind the “one content network only” policy. Firstly, the wording behind the new policies will be updated to be more clear and our member agreement will be added to — we realize that we need to step up and lay out the new policies in a clear manner, so in the next few days we will be updating this weblog with the new member agreement.

As for the decision regarding multiple content networks, the reasons are mainly two-fold. One, we cannot control what other networks choose to do or say, and if a member is part of a content network that takes actions that may harm our reputation, we’re automatically associated with their actions even though we played no part in them. We’ve received email complaints regarding the actions of content networks that we were secondarily affiliated with, and this new policy ensures that we can control the image of the Network and our members properly. Secondly, if a content network is competing with (or plans to compete with) 9rules, then we feel as though a member should choose one network to be a part of. We don’t want a situation to arise where a member is privy to the internal goings-on of 9rules via our private member forum, and then is able to communicate those actions to a competing weblog network. I hope you can agree with us on that one

So Kyle, overall we’re just trying to make the Network better for our members, and to do that we feel that some new policies needed to be laid out. I understand how someone not affiliated with 9rules could be confused as to why this weblog post was made, but hopefully this explanation helps a bit

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