After Tim O’Reilly and Jimmy Wales created a set of guidelines for bloggers to follow- quite an eruption broke out. The idea behind the guidelines is for each blogger to be able to set a code of conduct on their page and have the liberty to delete anyone who does not follow the code. Many bloggers have mixed feelings concerning the issue. Some believe there should be some rules laid down, but do not really think these particular rules are the answer. Well-known blogger Andy Steggles of sitePRTracker.com, told us in a phone interview:

“Anyone can create guidelines but unless people subscribe to them, they’re not going to be a lot of use. ”

O’Reilly and Wales’ say the recent circumstances concerning popular blogger Kathy Sierra’s reports of getting death threats are what inspired them to launch this endeavor. But here’s what Robert Scoble told Webpronews concerning the situation,

“Kathy Sierra was in my commentary this morning saying she doesn’t think that these guidelines would have stopped the kind of attacks that she’s now seeing.”

Blogger Andy Beal of Marketing Pilgrim strongly opposes the conduct, and he brought out an interesting point when he told us,

“Another big glaring observation and fault with it, is that it gives the person the opportunity to change the code of conduct as and when they see fit. So if that’s the opportunity that the blogger has that he doesn’t even need to hold himself to his own code of conduct… what’s the point of having one in the first place?”

Another issue that is raised concerning this set of rules is the fact that the bloggers are divided — some want to abide by the guidelines while others do not which will result in long-term problems. Steggles also told us,

“Essentially, people that adhere to these guidelines are going to get more exposure than those who don’t. So… there’s a concern down the road.”

Much concern has been raised as to the future of blogging. Scoble fears the real problem is not being addressed, and the bloggers are going to suffer for it.

“I think it’s too limiting, I think it tries to hit at a problem that I don’t think it would cure.”

Andy Beal also expressed those same concerns when he spoke with us about the matter,

“I think in the long term it will stifle growth that we’re seeing with blogs right now.”

Beal also summed up the feelings of many bloggers when he said,

“Let blogs as a whole continue to grow and thrive.”

The controversy remains–opponents argue that the point of blogging is that there are no rules, while supporters of the set of guidelines say they want a preventable cause of violence.

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