The Blogosphere, like the web in general, is subject to attack and misuse by malicious people, even as it is available for legitimate use by any person.
Until a month ago, the "BlogSpot.Com" region of the Blogosphere was known for rampant misuse. I warned of this misuse, by referring to use of the "Next Blog" link as "Porn\\\\Next Blog" surfing. This analogy of mine was not a great stretch of the imagination.
You could see this fact reflected in the blogs visible in "Next Blog". Besides the illegitimate blogs - the ones published for hacking and for porn and spam distribution - a large number of legitimate blogs, when visible, would have no Navbar. The task of removing the Navbar is not at all complex.
On January 18, 2008, this situation changed, for the better.
Today, as I surf "Next Blog", I see personal blogs. I don't see hacking, porn, or spam. And most blogs have the Navbar, and the "Next Blog" link. This tells me two things.
Neither of the above observations are redundant, the two go hand in hand, and the two require each other. As long as Blogger works to keep "Next Blog" safe for use, people will provide the Navbar and the "Next Blog" link, on their blogs. As people actually use the "Next Blog" link, they will watch for blogs that don't belong, and they will report blogs that don't belong. This will help Blogger continue to keep "Next Blog" safe for use, encourage people to keep using "Next Blog", and make any new successes by the hackers, porn vendors, and spam distributors more obvious. The more obvious any hacking, porn, or spam becomes, the more likely that it will be reported, and removed, immediately.
Help Blogger to help you.
Take back the Blogosphere. It's ours - take it back.
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Until a month ago, the "BlogSpot.Com" region of the Blogosphere was known for rampant misuse. I warned of this misuse, by referring to use of the "Next Blog" link as "Porn\\\\Next Blog" surfing. This analogy of mine was not a great stretch of the imagination.
You could see this fact reflected in the blogs visible in "Next Blog". Besides the illegitimate blogs - the ones published for hacking and for porn and spam distribution - a large number of legitimate blogs, when visible, would have no Navbar. The task of removing the Navbar is not at all complex.
On January 18, 2008, this situation changed, for the better.
Today, as I surf "Next Blog", I see personal blogs. I don't see hacking, porn, or spam. And most blogs have the Navbar, and the "Next Blog" link. This tells me two things.
- The Blogosphere is being cleaned up.
- People publishing their blogs recognise that it's being cleaned up.
Neither of the above observations are redundant, the two go hand in hand, and the two require each other. As long as Blogger works to keep "Next Blog" safe for use, people will provide the Navbar and the "Next Blog" link, on their blogs. As people actually use the "Next Blog" link, they will watch for blogs that don't belong, and they will report blogs that don't belong. This will help Blogger continue to keep "Next Blog" safe for use, encourage people to keep using "Next Blog", and make any new successes by the hackers, porn vendors, and spam distributors more obvious. The more obvious any hacking, porn, or spam becomes, the more likely that it will be reported, and removed, immediately.
Help Blogger to help you.
- Provide the Navbar on your blogs.
- Encourage the use of the "Next Blog" link.
- Report, immediately, any blogs that you see, that don't belong in the "Next Blog" link.
Take back the Blogosphere. It's ours - take it back.
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Comments
THEN remove the Navbar, if you must.
But if you see a problem, and you don't report the problem, then you are part of the problem.
I can't force you to do anything that you don't want to do. So, remove the Navbar.
BUT.
If there is a problem (unacceptable content linked from the Navbar), and you don't do anything about the problem (unacceptable content linked from the Navbar), then YOU are part of The Problem.
Hiding your head in the sand is NOT doing anything about the problem.