Blogging, Freedom of Speech and the EU

There’s been some rumbling about the sudden demise of England Expects in the land of Blog, unsurprisingly. Someone, somewhere decided to use brute force to silence an inconvenient and dissenting voice. Someone, somewhere doesn’t like unfettered voices exercising their freedom of speech. They don’t like what was said and used the might of the blogger’s employment contract to do the dirty deed.

There are two issues here; that of the contract betwixt employer and employed and freedom of speech and recent EU moves to stifle it. An idea supported by Marcel Berlins over at the Groan (quelle surprise – a Groan contributor is opposed to liberty). Marcel and the egregious Marianne Mikko object to the pseudononymous nature of blogging.

She proposes that bloggers identify themselves and declare any interests they have in the issue they’re writing about. Her concerns should be taken seriously. We, the readers of blogs, do not, and normally cannot, know who lurks behind the funny nickname. We need more information about the writers so that we can decide how seriously to take their opinions. Has she a personal stake in whatever it is under discussion? Does he belong to a dodgy or extreme campaigning body? Is she the sister of the owner of the restaurant she’s recommending? Does he bear a personal grudge? We don’t know.

Frankly, my immediate response to this gibberish is “so what?” or “Who cares?” The writing will stand or fall by the arguments put forward. Mr E puts it thusly:

My “credentials” are that I am a citizen of your much-vaunted Union, with the democratic right to say what I like about whomever I like. Those are all the credentials I need, or will ever need. It is not in your power to withdraw that right simply because you do not care for the way I exercise it.

I do not ask you to “rely” on me; I do not, even, ask you to “trust” me. I link to my sources and make it clear where the dividing line between fact and opinion is being drawn. For example, “you are a braindead Estonian fuckstick” is fact; “I think you should go and fuck yourself, you braindead Estonian fuckstick” is opinion. See?

As for a “quality mark”, I offer none such. The “quality” of my writing is entirely for the reader to gauge. If you think this is tedious, superficial tripe, I assure you you are not alone, and direct you to the “back” button on your web browser. You have not been charged for reading this blog.

That comment applies to this place. I have no intention of placing a quality mark on the sidebar. I will not publish under my own name, because I choose to write pseudononymously. That is my prerogative and it’s a prerogative I intend to defend.

Given the demise of England Expects, is it any wonder that there is a tendency to obscure one’s identity when commenting on-line? Those who write about their employment tread a path that can cost them their jobs if they say anything that the employer may object to. Now, the employer might have a legitimate point. But equally, the whistle-blower may be raising legitimate concerns; concerns that they would be less likely to raise if their identity was readily available.

I rarely write about my work – the occasional passing remark from the perspective of someone who works in the industry, but no exposés of Network Rail’s machinations.

Ahem…

The Landed Underclass offers a slightly different perspective on the England Expects episode. It’s a perspective with which I have some sympathy:

Hmm. How eurosceptique is it, exactly, to be ‘a paid official of the EU parliament’? To sign its contract of employment? To be unwilling to risk loss of earnings over what many people would consider to be a resignation issue?

Those who blog, as it were, from work should not be surprised if their employers, like those of a number of police bloggers, cut up nasty if ever they find out about it.

Quite so. Employers are becoming increasingly aware of blogging and the damage that it can cause them. If you say something about your employer that they are likely to find unpalatable, don’t be too surprised that should they find out, they kick up about it. Me, I’d put the blog on a brief hiatus while I sought alternative employment and then let rip on the blog again. But, then, not being too good at taking orders, I am employed by myself, so it’s unlikely to be an issue.

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Edit: I’ve removed some of the more intemperate remarks; because, as I said, I have no intention of indulging in exposés. I was angry yesterday. I’m somewhat more calm this morning.