BlogHer name hijacked 

This splog is 9 kinds of pond scum. It came up in a Technorati tag feed. At first I really thought it was product of BlogHer, and then started noticing how many ads there were.

I've noticed there has been some BloggerCon tag spam too. What can be done about that? These slimeballs are so crafty. I'd like to have a face-to-face talk with one sometime and try to find out how they can live with themselves.

I do believe that not all spammers understand what they are doing. Some naive "Be Your Own Boss!" folks who don't understand internet culture are just wanting to make a buck and follow the teachings of so-called internet marketing experts. I think I could get to some of them with a good mom's rap about ethics.

The BlogHer splog maker isn't in that category. He knows what he's doing. Blech.

Those hippie loonies 

Another thing that happens is legit marketers engage in the self-delusion that the internet crowd can be set aside and branded as fringe -- a subculture with impractical high-minded non-commercial mores.

I was once asked to comment on a draft e-mail address harvesting policy. I took issue with a line that read something like "Some internet users perceive the practice to be unethical, so it is not worth the risk." My feedback was, "What's wrong with just saying 'It is unethical so we don't do it.'"