ST 2007: "Putting our money where our mouth is" indeed

[sigma7]

Not directly ST related, but certainly some asshaberdashery afoot here. (Edit: see the comments for some really intriguing discussion. It's taken my mind in some pretty interesting directions. Or maybe that's just the Unisom talking. Still, I like it when I get to process more information like this; much more interesting than just parroting.) Remember the donations 6A was offering during the beginning of the permanent account sale?

EFF is the world’s leading advocate of freedom of speech on the web; RAINN is the United States' largest anti-sexual assault organization; Creative Commons is the global organization pioneering alternate licenses to traditional copyright in order to allow sharing, remixing and reusing content; and Witness works to use video and online technologies to open the eyes of the world to human rights violations.

If you decide to buy a permanent account during the first 36 hours of the sale, $25 of your purchase will shared with these organizations. Or, if you prefer, you'll have the option to earmark the donation from your purchase for only one of these groups. So you're in control of how much we donate and which organizations will benefit.

oulangi followed the money: All but one of these organizations has deep ties to Joi Ito, the President & CEO of Neoteny venture Capital group. You know, the people who put up the money to buy 6A. YOU people in other words. If you want to use us, your LJ customer base to raise money for your pet causes, fine. But at the VERY LEAST you should have acknowledges these links, instead of painting this as altruism on your parts. It's shady.

EFF - An organization that MAY well "advocate free speech on the web" (something 6A doesn't, but another argument, another time) BUT EFF has also been involved in court cases that have benefited Joi Ito's business/person. [1] [2]
RAINN - Real charity, needed work. Also awesome window dressing to lend this "charity drive" credibility?
Creative Commons - Which Joi Ito helped found, and sits on the board. [1]
WITNESS - which Joi Ito is on the board. [1]

I'm sorry, I didn't wake up today wanting to kick 6A in the teeth relentlessly. But damned if they didn't ask for it on this one. Thanks to indigoskynet for the pointer.

And for frivolty's sake....

How will you be suspended from LJ? by Anonymous LJ User
Username
Years on LJ
Snape	HotNot
Hours left until your suspension	46
Your crime	Posting all that damn porn!
Who reported you	dvandom
Your fate	On usenet, kicking it old school.

Comments

[lacunarity.livejournal.com]

Who am I to disagree with a 12th level intellect? :D

6A really does seem to be awful at the whole "dealing with the people who use their service" thing. You'd think a company big enough to buy lj would be big enough to hire competent people to outline and enforce lj's rules.

I think most the problems we've been having are due to the different expectations of the corporate and fandom world. 6A doesn't think their connections to the charities are important because it's normal in their world, but the users feel betrayed when they learn about the connection. The fandom generally understands that fanworks of underage characters are distinct from child porn, but 6A (and, well, the legal system) don't see that distinction.

[sigma7.livejournal.com]

Who am I to disagree with a 12th level intellect? :D

I think, by definition, that makes you a Legionnaire.

That's an excellent distinction, though -- corporate mindset and fandom mindset might as well be two different species. And not especially compatible, I think we've determined. Maybe this is why we find so little slash-fic being distributed in corporate boardrooms. (Er, I mean, I'm guessing.)