user-generated content

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Jason Calacanis on why companies fear user-generated content

A recent survey showed that 57% of respondent executives view user-generated content as one of the greatest threats to existing business models. Why is that? “Because they can’t control user-generated content, and they only know how to make money when they are in control of people,” says Jason Calacanis in an email to Smooth Harold. “Over time they will learn you can make money when your not in control–but that will take years.”

No wonder. Not being in control is a scary thing, especially when trying to turn a profit.

[Thanks, Jason]

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Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Moderating Comment Criticism

I don’t like moderating comment criticism on blogs. Granted, moderation is good for some large organizations or companies that need to be especially careful with what’s posted on their site, but for independent publishers, I like the added democracy of an open comment system. And for the most part, blog readers have come to appreciate that comments do not express the views of the posting site or its author.

Moderation, either before-the-fact or after-the-fact gives the independent publisher the power to masque criticism, ideas, thoughts, new views, differing opinions, open-mindedness, vulgarity, and hate speech. I’m not sure I want that power, though I do use it in the case of the last two. I have let a little hate speech slide but don’t really like to. I prefer after-the-fact moderation (once a comment is already posted) because it’s easier for me to let comments “stick” if they aren’t too racy. The extreme one’s (through rare on Smooth Harold) get thrown out once I spot them in my email inbox.

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