Up Close and (un)Conventional #9 – Privacy

Posted 30 October, 2014 by Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms in Discussion Posts / 11 Comments

Up Close and (un)Conventional

Up Close and (un)Conventional #9 – Privacy

Welcome to this week’s Up Close and (un)Conventional. During the week of October 20 to 26, there was a lot of scary happenings in the online community, and I didn’t really join in any of the discussions during that week, because I was traveling. I did read the infamous Guardian article, though, as well as several blog-posts showing time-lines, why that article is so dangerous, and also why fact-checking is extremely important.

Now, apart from being a fellow blogger, I don’t really have any beef in this latest drama. However, I think that the fact that I don’t know the blogger who was stalked, and because I haven’t read (or shelved) any of Ms. Hale ‘s books, I still have something important to share about this. The thing that is very scary about this is multi-faceted, because not only did this author first stalk a blogger online – even to Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest… if the blogger had an account, the author followed it. And the author was trying to find something she could use to excuse her hurt feelings, and the actions she felt she had the right to take because of these hurt feelings.

I think that keeping our private lives separate from our online lives is just common sense! Privacy on the internet is not easy, but as bloggers we certainly should be able to have and use a pseudonym, just like some authors, actors and other online personas use pseudonyms. And respecting our privacy is really one of the most important thing publishers, authors, and other bloggers can do! It’s really nobody’s business if my name is really Lexxie or if it is something else. As long as I don’t change my name from Lexxie to something new to hide my ‘official’ online persona behind another.

What I find really hard to believe is that on a lot of the posts re-counting this debacle, several people – most of them authors – either applaud #HaleNo, or they say that the blogger in question was obviously wrong as well. To me stalking can never, ever be OK. And it is chilling that some authors think that the blogger had done something wrong to kind of make the author go off the deep end. Where did they see any proof of that? All I could find were status updates regarding the author’s book, and there was not even any mention at all of the author. Yes, there was cursing in those status updates – but so what? Curse words are part of our vocabulary for a reason. They are very good for conveying strong feelings! And most book-bloggers I know are very passionate people.

This badge was made by http://www.kaetrinsmusings.com/ and is used with her permission.
This badge was made by http://www.kaetrinsmusings.com/ and is used with her permission.

When I first read about the Blogger Blackout, I didn’t really understand what these bloggers were doing – what about all the amazing authors out there that might be ‘punished’ for something they didn’t do, I thought. I very quickly changed my tune, however, because I really think the blackout is like a peaceful walk with candles, where those demonstrating only want to point other people in the direction of their thoughts. And because it is peaceful, and because it is a way to really take a stand that doesn’t require a lot of time, money or puts anyone in danger, I think it’s actually a beautiful way to show solidarity. Solidarity among bloggers, and also among the authors who feel that the Guardian article was really way out there, and that the author who wrote it should never have been allowed to use such a huge platform for her rantings.

I am not going to participate in the Blackout, and that’s because I’ve found out about it too late, and I have posts scheduled for next week that have been there for a long time, and I don’t want to change this now. I do support and applaud the bloggers who are participating, though, I think it’s amazing how this community is able to stick together, and stand strong when faced with strong opposition and scary drama. And I am so happy that my favorite authors who have spoken about this at all seem to agree with what many bloggers think as well: stalking is not OK, bloggers should be able to share their honest opinion about the books they read, and taking a stand in a peaceful way is great.

Some good posts on the subject:

Open Letter to The Guardian | On the Importance of Pseudonymous Activity | #HaleNo, Blogger Blackout and the Non-Existant War | Don’t do this Ever! |

There is also a petition on Change.Org to ask Goodreads to improve the privacy settings for their users.

Have you already read about #HaleNo and #BloggerBlackout? What about #YesAuthor? Has this recent drama changed your way of blogging? Have you checked your privacy settings on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads or other social media? Are you like me, and a little more reluctant to want to read a new-to-you author now?

Thanks for stopping by!

Lexxie signature (un)Conventional Bookviews

Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms

About Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms

Linda is an English as foreign language teacher and has a Master's degree in English Language and Literature. She's an avid reader, blogger, compulsive one-clicker and a genre omnivore. Ever since she learnt how to read she has been seen with a book or two in her hands everywhere she goes.

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11 responses to “Up Close and (un)Conventional #9 – Privacy

  1. I vaguely heard about it all, but I’m not much on the net these days. When I’m on the net, on my blog, FB and else, the idea never occurred to me of publishing my address, my photo or something that personal ! I know some people enjoy the net as a means of showing themselves to the world, but it’s only common sense to keep your private informations private if you don’t want it coming back into your face one day or the author !
    That said, if it’s true, this author has gone completely crazy and I understand the fear of bloggers…

    • Well, it was the author herself who wrote the article / essay in The Guardian, where she narrates the different stages she went through to find out the bloggers alleged real name, plus her full address and work-place. And then, she showed up at her house, and called her at work :O

      I don’t have my personal information out there for anyone to find, I think… But I have won a giveaway or two where an address was needed to send me my prize. It’s pretty scary to think that someone unhinged might be able to con themselves into someone’s good graces to get that address.

      Thanks for commenting, Iza 🙂

  2. I, apparently, live under a rock, Lexxie. I didn’t know much about this until day before yesterday when it was mentioned in a private fb group. It is very scary to think we bloggers could come under attack in such a way. And that some would applaud it – or at least see it in a positive light. I don’t use an alias – it didn’t occur to me when I began blogging or my account on Goodreads. This occurrence gives me pause. Perhaps I don’t want so much of my personal information out there. Of course, I have no idea how to go about making a change like that. And then there’s the issue of the fact that I blog for my pleasure. I’m pretty sure most of us do. If we have to live in fear that something we say, in a subjective review (I mean, our reviews our *our* opinions), could make us a target. Well, that’s sucks some fun out of it, doesn’t it? I’m not participating in the blog blackout because I didn’t know about it soon enough. But I will be putting some thought into how much of my personal information I make public. Hmm…

    Great discussion post, Lexxie! **BIG HUGS**

    Bookworm Brandee recently posted: **New Adult Review ~ True ~ Erin McCarthy**
    • Yeah, it’s definitely scary. Especially because as you said, our reviews are subjective, and our enjoyment (or not) of a book can depend on our mood while we’re reading, even!
      And I know that while I’m not usually very snarky myself, some bloggers are. And since they blog on their own blog, nobody should really tell them how to do when it’s their hobby.
      I am not even sure why I chose a pseudonym when I first started hanging out in discussion groups in the last century (hah! I have always wanted to say that) maybe a place I signed up said something about it. That’s how I’ve always had a separate facebook handle, and when myspace was a thing, I had an account there as well – ages and ages ago, with Lexxie as my handle.
      I think that being careful about what we put out in plain sight is important, and at the same time, it really sucks that we feel the need to be so protective of our off-line lives.

      Thanks for stopping by, Brandee!! *BIG HUGS*

  3. I have been in my own little world again and missed all of this. Wow!

    It is such a shame when people do character damaging things to themselves. Even worse when those actions are directed toward and hurt others.

    As you mentioned, most bloggers are hobbyists who are sharing their passion with people who have similar interests. We’re not out to get anyone (okay, there maybe a few extremists, but every group has those). We’re people with hopes, dreams, and feelings just like everyone else.

    A bad review hurts, yes. Bloggers do wield power with regards to their audience. But in the end readers will read what interests them. Ignore the haters, embrace the lovers and move on. To quote Taylor Swift, “Shake it off.”

    Stalking and bullying, by anyone, is unacceptable behavior.

    I am so very sorry that authors and bloggers and publishers have been messed up by the bad apples.

    Xyra recently posted: October Day 27
    • I think it’s kind of nice to not know about it, Xyra, and at the same time, it’s so important that we are able to protect our privacy and stay safe!

      And yes, I’m sure bad reviews hurt, but an author isn’t exactly forced to seek it out. In this instance, the blogger had not tweeted the author with her review, nor e-mailed her about it – it was the author who searched for her own name, and then got upset with one (among other) one-star DNF review.

      It makes me really sad as well, the one thing that’s a common thread in the book blogging community is the love of books we all share, both those who write the books and those of us who only read them love the words on the pages, the characters that come to life and the new universes that are created.

      Thanks for stopping by, Xyra 🙂

      • Absolutely. Privacy and safety are key for bloggers and authors.

        It’s true we get comfortable in our blogging communities. For many the experience is good and healthy. When people choose to ignore decorum and respect the ripple can be felt much further than that one person imagines.

        Keep up the good work, Lexxie. <3

        Xyra recently posted: October Day 31
  4. Great post Lexxie. I’m trying not to let what happened impact me too much. I feel like I don’t know exactly what happened- though since Hale herself admitted what she did (because she thought it was justified) I do feel safe saying she was in the wrong. Even if the Blogger was mean and “baited” her, There’s really NO justification for stalking. I still feel that this is an isolated incident though, and very unlikely to happen often. I’m hoping that it will end up in a court room (if I were that blogger I’d press charges and I believe she is) and will result in criminal charges that will actually make this even less likely to happen in the future. Of course, its always smart to be careful with our online identities!

    Berls @ Fantasy is More Fun recently posted: Stitching Snow by R.C. Lewis | Book Review
    • From the screen-shots I’ve seen, the blogger hadn’t ‘baited’ her at all, and the author didn’t share any screen-shots at all to prove her allegations.
      I hope it is an isolated incident, and I also hope the blogger will take some kind of legal action – if the author actually ended up in front of her house. We don’t even really know if that is the case. I mean, I have had books sent to people when I needed a US address, and these friends of mine aren’t even bloggers, but happy to forward stuff to me. So the address publishers sent books to are not necessarily the bloggers own address… The author seemed to think so though, and I think it’s so scary that she went to those extreme lengths to ‘punish’ a blogger she didn’t like.

      Thanks for stopping by, Berls 🙂

  5. Yeah, I heard about it as well… Kathleen Hale truly disgraced herself as an author! I’ve read posts by involved bloggers and they really indicated that the author was definitely in the wrong as she played deception games with fellow bloggers. All because her feelings were hurt by a negative review! That’s just awful! 🙁

    Kiran J. @ Book Maniac Reviews recently posted: Sunday Post : November 2nd, 2014
    • Yeah, the bloggers who gave out an address for the blogger targeted by the author must have felt so bad! And they had no idea about all this either, until the day after the ‘article’ was posted in The Guardian.

      It’s really scary that some people feel entitled enough to go through this kind of trouble to confront someone who hasn’t done anything wrong.

      Thanks for stopping by, Kiran.

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