As most of you know, one of the fundamental principles of MuseBlog is the GAPAs’ insistence on pretending that the rest of the Internet does not exist. We do this for two reasons:
- We see MuseBlog as an island of civility in a generally barbaric Internet. We’re not fond of the way online culture has developed so far, and, frankly, we think we do it better here.
- We don’t want MBers or their parents to think that we’re here to make it easy for them to connect with one another on other websites. We’re not, for reasons including but not limited to those listed in item 1.
Toward these ends, we strongly discourage references to activities on other websites and Internet services, particularly popular ones like Facebook. Just to make things easier for ourselves, we’ve even added the word “Facebook” to our spam filter’s standard “zap list” of obscenities and insults.
As a joke, MBers started referring to Facebook as “Voldynet” — i.e., the Voldemort Network, That Which Must Not Be Named. Some even seemed to think that it was all right to post comments about their Facebook activity as long as they called Facebook Voldynet.
So, to clarify: it isn’t. We still don’t allow any references that might help MB readers (who include a fair number of Mysterious Lurkers along with the regular MBers we know and love) to find you elsewhere on the Internet. That might seem unreasonable and even quaint, but several younger MBers have told us that our stubborn insistence on that rule is the only reason their parents let them post here.
On the other hand, that doesn’t mean you can’t talk about Facebook (etc.) at all. It’s part of your world, after all. So you can talk about it, if you’re careful. For example, it’s allowable to say “My friend got in trouble after her parents read some incriminating posts on her Facebook page.” But it’s not allowable to say, “Hey, everybody, go to my Facebook page right away and see the cool link I’ve posted there.” Got it? In between those extremes, of course, are a lot of gray areas, but we’re sure you’re smart enough to negotiate them as long as you remember the spirit of the rule and the reasons it’s in place.
If you understand all of that and still decide to post a comment violating the spirit of the rule, we (abetted by our trusty spam filter) will zap it — and talking about Voldynet won’t help.
Yr. obt. svts,
The dictatorial but ultimately well-meaning
GAPAs
MuseBlog: the one place on Earth that it’s actually better not to have a Voldynet account. Anyway, thanks for clearing all this up.
You’re wonderful. Thank you for taking the time to clarify!
I don’t even have an account so I don’t really know that much about it, but one question:
How can we say “My friend got in trouble after her parents read some incriminating posts on her Facebook page,” if the spam filter zaps it? Will you just drag it out if you deem it appropriate or have you removed it from the list?
We’ll drag it out. Eventually, if enough people seem to be getting the picture, we’ll probably strike it from the list (until you start to backslide again).
You’re not dictatorial, we’re just recalcitrant. This isn’t exactly the first time you’ve had to warn us about this. Thanks for putting up with us.
Turn your back on them, and next thing you know, they’re worshiping a golden calf.
Try not to break the Rules list.
Interesting allusion.
Thanks for the clarification, GAPAs. Keeping us in check cannot possibly be an easy job, but we know (and appreciate) why you do it. Thank you!
Guys, I just posted about this outrage on [Just for that, snippety-doo-dah, O shameless one! –Cruel Admin.], you should all go and check it out RIGHT NOW, these GAPAs are being so unreasonable about this whole thing! Freedom of speech! Yay!
Kidding.
Seriously, I was kidding.
Don’t go anywhere other than MB, the rest of the internet is dumb. It’s crazy out there; they don’t understand basic grammar or spelling.
Much better to just stay here.
Much less creepy, too.
We see MuseBlog as an island of civility in a generally barbaric
Internetworld. We’re not fond of the wayonlinehuman culture has developed so far, and, frankly, we think we do it better here.Other than that, perfect. xD
On a serious note, apologies, GAPAs. It cannot be easy tussling with our ridiculous shenanigans. Thank you for putting us back in line at necessary junctures!
Is it bad that I had no idea ‘Voldynet’ was referring to Facebook? I thought it was an actual other site that people posted on.
Well, don’t I feel smart.
Me too!
Until quite recently, so did I.
I thought it was a generic term for other sites until it became obvious that it wasn’t. Then I asked and found out what it really meant.
I thought it was that new site all the raving fangirls are begging to get accounts on…
No, that’s Pottermore.
Which really isn’t all it was cracked up to be.
I liked using it generically. On the other hand, I also like the phrase “else-internet” as in “else-internet I saw this cool picture of a rhino”
I like extrabloggian, as in, “I saw this cool extrabloggian picture of a rhino.” I’m not sure I’ve ever used it, though.
I’ve generally said “off-blog”, which is basically the same thing.
I just say “another site” or “an external site”, and refer to the one on which I maintain a blog as “external blogging site”.
But….but I LIKE the rest of the barbaric internet! It’s so silly!