Ridgy ‘Didge’ Blogging
November 24, 2008 by Geoff Jennings
The media is not my area of speciality, but I’m here writing because I know some stuff about online recruitment that I like to share with others. Having said that up front (an intimation about the topic for today), I reckon it’s time we had a little chat about the process of blogging.
Some things don’t require too much expertise to work out. For instance, blogging is like any other form of media in that it offers information and opinion. I don’t always get my facts right, but I endeavor to, and when a reader tells me I’m wrong, I accept the criticism with grace (and gratitude, because it’s not my intention to mislead folks).
Likewise, when I offer an opinion, I do so in an arena where I have stated clearly what my interests are. Readers can then use that information as a bouncing point for the validity of my opinion. In other words, I’ve nothing to hide. You all know who I am and I say what I think and am prepared to back my case if need be. I don’t write anonymously and never would. It takes away from the strength of my claims.
Some bloggers write anonymously and I often wonder what is the point of such an exercise. It doesn’t liberate their opinions. It waters them down because it makes readers suspicious of their intentions.
Astute blog-readers in the industry may have noticed that today I called into question the identity of the writer of “The Didge” blog. I asked the author of the blog if they worked for JobsJobsJobs (JJJ). In response, they asked why I had asked such a question. This was my reply:
# Geoff Says: Your comment is awaiting moderation.
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:55 pm
I was nudging you to declare your interests, Peter (ahem, sorry, I mean “Didge”).
Your comments are skewed against Seek and towards JobsJobsJobs.
You write in the plural “we”, but all your postings have a similar tone (indicating the same writer).
Audience disclosure is important. Everything that’s written in this space is contextual and the readers need a bouncing point from which to view your editorial.
If we are asked to take what you say seriously, it’s about time you told us what your interests are.
After I had replied, these things happened:
1) All previous comments pertaining to this question of identity were taken off the site
2) I received no response from The Didge
3) My reply was not posted
I wanna know if The Didge is ridgydidge…or is this blog a sad attempt by JJJ to disguise advertising as editorial?
Who is The Didge?
This would be pretty easy for someone to deny, so what do they have to say?
Its all very well being anonymous – perfectly fair.
But that’s quite different from making a fraudulent claim of independence, then favourably reviewing your own products, and penning vitriolic reviews of your competitors and their employees.
If it is true that The Didge is in fact a JJJ employee, then their ‘online expertise’ credibility is shot – they’ve broken the cardinal rule of blogging wqhich is don’t get caught deliberately misleading the public and your own customers.
In the interest of the industry’s credibility, I think we’d all like to see a polite denial from JJJ that they haven’t been BUSTED or a confirmation from the Didge him/herself of their identity. What’s to hide in job board world anyway?
Spot on Jobber.
I have made contact with The Didge via email. David (as he calls himself) said he is formulating a response (but that could take a while going by the length of his articles).
Let’s see if he comes clean or not…
Under what circumstances is it “fair” to be anonymous? I can’t think of many. Perhaps in the instance of the “whistle blower”, when someone has their job or safety at stake, one could understand the need to hide one’s identity.
But that doesn’t apply here. The Didge offers editorial, therefore, he or she is hiding more than their identity. They are hiding alliances. And that’s cheating.
Come clean, Didge or your opinions will no longer hold water in this space.
Geoff,
I asked the same question as was told that they do not work for a job board, and say that as their identities are anonymous they can be more honest. Apparently they have access to sensitive information and they feel if they were to come clean it would limit their access to the information. The email also indicated that they are undertaking research into job boards in Australia and that this might lead them to “coming out”.
My personal view is most folks should blog in the open. I know of several HR Tech bloggers in the US who remain anonymous, mainly because of their employers. However in private they are more than happy come clean.
Rgds
Michael
There’s not much “sensitive information” in The Didge’s blog – nothing that couldn’t be written openly.
Also, what sort of “research” are they doing into job boards and why aren’t they conducting this in an open manner?
And the honesty excuse is rubbish – simply an excuse to hide. If they’ve something meaningful to contribute to debate and discussion, they should be able to stand by their opinions.
And, of course they won’t admit to working for a job board…seems they won’t admit to much, really.
In response to Jobber’s comment I do find it humorous that the cardinal rule of blogging is;
“don’t get CAUGHT deliberately misleading the public and your own customers.”
I think that goes against the point of this post.
FYI, I do agree that if The Didge is somone working for jobsjobsjobs it’s absolutely unprofessional and unacceptable.