online
jun 28
2008

BoingBoing's Revenge

Tomorrow Museum takes up the issue of BoingBoing deleting posts from people who are marginally critical of the site. It happened to me a few months ago too, seemingly because I wrote this, more as a disappointed fan than a disgruntled rage machine. It's a nasty moment online right now, where a lot of people are trying to figure out how to write critically about internet society and its participants while not joining the throng of noisy hatah culture. BoingBoing's tactics suggest they are on the wrong side of this debate.
7 comments

BoingBoing is a fairly classic example of the rebel sell. I suspect they are primarily engaged in 'brand protection' at the moment, the site must make vast amounts in ad revenue. It was interesting to note how slowly they picked up on the Phorm hoo-ha considering it touches on issues bang in the centre of their niche. I did wonder rather snarkily whether they were evaluating the potential benefits for their revenue stream ;-)

posted by Jim at 2008-06-28 14:23:25

Now if only they'd remove any trace of John Brownlee from BB Gadgets...<br /><br /> <br /><br /> I was actually really looking forward to your conjectured Boing Boing takedown, because I figured you'd probably avoid the usual complaints--Cory's ranting, Xeni's Xeniness--and focus instead on the issue that bugs me most about Boing Boing: what you defined in your earlier post as circa-1991 post-hipness.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> Boing Boing preaches a certain kind of old-fashioned futurism that just seems incredibly dated. Every time I go to the site I feel like I just had a conversation with a 35-year-old grad student in a bowling shirt who was trying to tell me about how wacky the Church Of The Subgenius is...

posted by Johnny at 2008-06-28 14:36:38

I bet BoingBoing linked you for ten minutes, then realized you're running coldfusion, and did the honorable thing by taking down the link before they took down your server. :)

posted by Matt Haughey at 2008-06-28 17:20:05

I have a total side question for you, Rex.<br /><br /> Beyond the anger out there on the web, where are people going now?<br /><br /> Twitter is apparently starting to feel abandoned according to users. Myspace and facebook are down people. Blogs are disappearing. <br /><br /> Where is everyone going? To real life?

posted by Ironic at 2008-06-28 23:26:35

God, I hope not. The L Train is already too crowded.

posted by Rex at 2008-06-29 10:22:02

Even split between, WoW, Webkins, GTA4, and doing Ironic's mom.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> heh.

posted by taulpaul at 2008-06-29 10:42:17

I didn't realize, Paul, that there are so many necrophiliacs out there....

posted by Ironic at 2008-06-29 14:04:23