Andy’s engagement

For once in my life, I find I actually have something to say. For which purpose, the Internet has granted me my own personal piece of cyber-space real estate. An oasis in which my own personal thoughts, feelings, opinions and need I say it, prejudices can be aired to the rest of humanity. They call this space a blog or a website. So that’s where I put it all. I put it all onto my blog or website.

So far so good, but then, for purely selfish reasons, I find myself now wanting to be heard. So the ‘Good Lord Internet’ gave me the hyperlink and Web2, social networking. It asks nothing in return for my freedom of expression. However, it does give me a certain responsibility. A responsibility of respect for the people I connect with.

So bearing all the above in mind, I now put forward a charter for my ‘terms of engagement’ with respect to social networking from whence I am sitting:

1) I have the right to my say (freedom of speech). I will broadcast my thoughts, feelings, emotions, opinions and prejudices (herein referred to as ‘content’) within my own personal space (my blogs or websites). This does not however afford me the right to make personal attacks on any individual.

2) Having broadcast my content, I have the right to advertise it through any willing social media channels made available to me. However, this shall be done on a “listen very carefully, I will tell you this only once” basis. I will post my links only once and that will be an end to it. I am not here to spam you. (It was for this reason alone, that my twitter account (which seems to hoard things and then deliver en-masse) has been disconnected from my buzz account). At the same time though, neither will I be spammed. I will un-follow, but I won’t block you (because one day you might have something to say that is worth listening to).

3) Having invited you to partake of my ‘content’, you automatically have the right of reply. Your ‘content’ is as much as important as mine or anybody else’s and should share the same degree of consideration. All that I ask is that you endeavour to qualify what you say as indeed I will.

4) I threaten now, that I will post links to my content wherever I can, provided that they remain relevant to the main theme of what is being said and in choosing to do so, expect and indeed openly invite others to do unto me as I have done unto them.

5) Any comments, objections, and criticisms (herein referred to as ‘counter-content’) will always be greeted with an open mind. In posting my ‘content’, I have invited them and must live with it.

6) Any form of ‘counter-content’ will however, be treated with respect to the following criteria:

I. Sender is visible (has a relatively open and meaningful profile) and ‘counter-content is qualified. – Treat with the utmost

respect, taking on-board as much as I can without necessarily compromising my own position.

II. Sender is visible and ‘counter-content’ is unqualified. – Leave this to my own judgement.

III. Sender is anonymous and ‘counter-content’ is qualified. - Leave this to my own judgement.

IV. Sender is anonymous and ‘counter-content’ is unqualified. – Ignore it.

V. No form of ‘counter-content’ that makes personal attacks against any individual will be tolerated. – Any such discussion that

goes this way will be terminated. Any form of ‘content’ or ‘counter-content’ should not be used to incite embitterment or

argument. Let us simply agree to disagree. If you are looking for a fight, go elsewhere. Having stated my case I will listen to

yours. If we can agree, then that’s fine. If we cannot, then that’s fine too. Do unto me as I do unto you and all will be well. If

not, don’t be surprised if I walk away. I may be coaxed, but I won’t be compromised.

VI. Any ‘counter-content’ containing direct advertisements will be duly deleted. My ‘content’ is purely for entertainment

purposes or for the passing of information, not for financial gain. Why should I allow yours to be any different? If you want to

peddle your wares through social media, there is a right way and a wrong way to go about it. Before you even begin to

mention your product, spend a little time interacting with us first. Get to know us and let us get to know you. Then and only

then, can you possibly hope to make any inroads and the subtle dropping of product details will be better tolerated. (Follow the

examples set by Cassius Wright or CT Avon). The simple act of dropping links in a haphazard way will only serve to

alienate us from you and will result in you being blocked, reported and subsequently banned from the sites you are

spamming which in all languages is simply counterproductive to your cause.

These are my Terms of engagement (my ‘content’) and I hope you can live with them. As usual, your ‘counter-content’ is always invited and maybe, between the lot of us, we can form a globally accepted charter to live by.

While this was written primarily with Google Buzz in mind, I’m sure these terms will work just as effectively on any of the other social media channels made available to us all.