Gina Ford vs the web

Apologies to those who commented on my previous post on this subject: I hadn't actually checked comments before I deleted. And wouldn't have done so, had I realised. It was only later when I saw my email notifications that I realised anyone had read or commented on it.

I deleted because I didn't wholly agree with myself anymore: the stand she is making seems more extreme than warranted. I do still think that personal comments or malicious lies about people should be removed, but it seems that this case is going too far. (One step beyond, da naaa da naa da naa). The law in the UK doesn't seem to be up to the job in this area. I think it needs to be reviewed and more in line with the US. For once. A whole site shouldn't be under threat because of a number of views of the people who use it.

I gather the on-line communities involved have swung into action, emailing and starting petitions*. I hope they succeed and Ms Ford thinks better of her litigation. Some of the national press has taken up the story.

The baby guru who threw her bottle out of the pram Daily Mail - UK. (#Hawk, spit# Daily M@!l)
Mothers' website falls foul of Queen of Routine Independent
Childcare expert threatens to have website shut down Guardian Unlimited
Childcare guru goes to war over website Times Online

I wonder under what circumstances she stopped posting at Mumsnet, as I gather she was once a contributor and poster on there: as 'Ginababe', I think I saw. On the one hand, if she feels she "knows" posters there, I can sympathise with how painful it must be if she feels they are bad-mouthing her and it may feel more personal than perhaps other on-line communities of which she was not part. But she seems to have extended her net towards other UK parenting websites as well.

I guess going after one alone screams personal problem with them? Or maybe not, perhaps she just stopped posting there because of time constraints or whatever.

It cannot be acceptable to attempt to prevent discussion of parenting methods on parenting forums. It's unfortunate when things get personal, but as long as the administration of a site makes reasonable efforts to remove malicious, untrue and spiteful remarks, I don't think it should be running the risk of getting sued unto closure.



*I don't think on-line petitions are particularly effective tools, however. Even if the email addresses are checked by an automatic system, it's very easy to have multiple emails. Also there's usually no verifiable way of knowing the real location of people, (and usually politicians are not too interested in the opinions of people who don't vote in their country/area). Without that kind of location & demographic information, a petition has no power to influence. If someone really wants to make their feelings on an issue clear, writing a letter to, or even emailing the relevant people is more effective. I think on-line petitions just fill the immediate sense of wanting to do something, without actually doing much of anything.

That said, I suppose they do enable the press to say "so many people have signed this".