AOL HAS DONE IT AGAIN

Do the AOL editors stay up late thinking up ways to annoy me?  Apparently they do.

JOURNALS EDITOR JOE JUST POSTED AN ENTRY FOR ALL OF US TO SHARE. IT IS BASED ON HIS RESPONSE TO A YOUNG WOMAN NAMED BRANDI, WITH AN AIM JOURNAL, WHO GOT LINKED WITHOUT HER KNOWLEDGE:

Brandi wrote to me and asked:

"I don't have a problem with this, more readers wooohooo. I was just wondering who put it there, and how come I wasn't told about it. I get proud when I see that my journal is featured anywhere but would have loved to have known it was there."

HE SAYS IN PART:
In a culture where linking to other people is encouraged, it becomes less and less feasible, and really, less desireable, to tell people beforehand when they're going to be featured.

Now, of course, when it comes to people's photos and likenesses, we usually still do the whole notification and photo release thing. However, when it comes to a straight link to a blog or Web page, it's pretty much an Internet norm now, where the very existence of a public blog usually implies some sort of willingness to be linked to.


THIS IS WHAT I WROTE IN JOE'S COMMENTS AREA:

Late in 2004, I gave approval to an editor to run my picture, screenname, and a link to my blog in the Women's area. The editor took something I wrote out of context and made me sound like a hooker.

The next thing I know my screename, journal, picture and out of context quote are featured -- without my knowledge -- on the front of the People Connection page. Everytime I log on, I'm suddenly inundated with jerks sending IM's that start out "Hiya Sexy."  

Somewhere in the fine print, if I gave permission for an editor to link to me in one area, that meant another editor could use my name, picture and blog link in their area, too -- WITHOUT MY PERMISSION. Or tellingme. So you've been doing this crap for awhile.

Now you feel free to link without even bothering to tell someone. Then I should have the option of  requesting that you put me on a DO NOT LINK list. Unless I provide a link, you may not link to me.

You are putting women -- way more than men, because female journals outnumber men by about six or even eight to one -- in the unpleasant position of having to deal with a boatload of creeps.

Especially since, based on my experience, you editors are going to make it seem like someone can link to a really hot babe.

Kind of like you just did to BRANDI.  

AOL seems to have a philosophy of turning everything into yet another way to hook up for sex. While maintaining a bizarre TOS standard on the opposite end of the spectrum.

Gimme a break.

Mrs. L