MetaTalk

I remember reading a post on MetaFilter at least 4 years ago that was about a weird network of interconnected organizations that were ostensibly about journalism, history, ethics, etc. but were actually some sort of cult. Many similarities to NXIVM but possibly something else. [more inside]
posted by MetaFilter World Peace on Nov 16, 2020 - 8 comments

When a major non-partisan US political news source that is run by the former National Politics Editor of the Washington Post, has sponsored multiple presidential debates for both parties, and has broken numerous stories claims to have multiple sources supporting a major American political story, which is then replied to by the Vice President's staff, who doesn't deny the story -- an inherently newsworthy event -- why does this appear "not fully baked enough"? Keep in mind that stories such as Piggate, Watergate, the Lewinsky Affair, and this post from today, and, well... many MeFi posts in general, are based on a single person's opinion or slanted recollection, and not multiple confirmed sources from a reputable news organization, as is the gold standard in journalism. What are the community's thoughts on the standards that should be used by MetaFilter in order for a story to be considered shareable? Are other journalists expected to do the hard work of finding anonymous sources to confirm or deny the story first, before it can be shared with the rest of us?
posted by markkraft on Oct 6, 2015 - 145 comments

Good evening. I am considering the purchase of an account on MetaFilter for my fiancee. She may find it of use for work (academic librarianship, cataloging), domestic (cats, pies) and leisure; I've sent her pointers to FPPs on here which she has found of interest, and she may be able to contribute questions and comments to AskMe. But... [more inside]
posted by Wordshore on May 10, 2013 - 124 comments

This question seems to be asking us to come up with the most malicious gossip we can think up about somebody the OP doesn't really know very well. I don't think this is something we should be aiding and abetting. [more inside]
posted by nangar on May 2, 2012 - 128 comments

I think I saw a post on the site a year or so ago about the ethics of using Nazi medical data in modern science. [more inside]
posted by eleanna on Nov 10, 2011 - 14 comments

I'd appreciate the mods' take (and of course that of other users more experienced than myself, which is just about everybody) on the ethics of linking to another forum in answer to an AskMeFi. [more inside]
posted by aqsakal on Jun 4, 2010 - 39 comments

"This is a really excellent question"? Seriously? [more inside]
posted by allkindsoftime on Jul 31, 2008 - 155 comments

During the GiveWell hubbub, some commenters become obsessed with outing a pseudonymous troll calling itself "Rachel Tension." We need to talk about the ethics of outing, unmasking, and breaking anonymity. [more inside]
posted by anotherpanacea on Jan 13, 2008 - 182 comments

Instead of assuming that most AskMe users are cheats, let's assume they're honest.
posted by Mr. President Dr. Steve Elvis America on Feb 4, 2007 - 64 comments

Sometimes AskMe takes you in a surprising direction, and this thread is one of those times: a college student asks if he should take advantage of a contraband answer key to check his graded homework, and the community is nearly unanimous in its ethical condemnation of the practice. That is, until a philosophy professor and professional ethicist answers to the contrary. Probably not sidebar-worthy, but a neat example of how an issue that seems at first to be black-and-white bleeds a little gray once the experts join the fray.
posted by Saucy Intruder on Sep 25, 2006 - 39 comments

I just asked a question about 'how to succeed in university' that was open to standard ideas and ideas that were not kosher (cheating. happens every day). Im busy, i wont be participating actively in this discussion, but the question i put forward is: how is discussing cheating methods different from a thread discussing file sharing or something. Nothing illegal is happening by discussing this stuff. Whats the deal. Thats like deleting a thread that asks 'How do jewel thiefs go about cracking safes?' Are we going to delete the thread because we dont want this suspected jewel thief cracking our safes, or is our curiosity going to get peaked and we're going to discuss it like a bunch of nerds who are into this nerdy stuff? The latter? OK.
posted by GleepGlop on Mar 3, 2006 - 39 comments

My Askme question, about a DVD that was burned on a PC that wouldn't work on my Mac, was deleted for no other seeming reason than that it mentioned P2P. [More inside]
posted by God on Dec 26, 2005 - 131 comments

Almost unbelievable. It is hard to believe, but we have an issue on which just about all mefites agree.
posted by oddman on Dec 13, 2005 - 66 comments

Dear ask.mefi, how can I fuck over my friend while he's overseas by stealing his apartment so that he doesn't have a place to live when he gets back. P.S. It IS a really nice apartment, and he IS a jerk for having let me live there while he's gone so I'm totally justified in my actions.
posted by furtive on Dec 12, 2005 - 119 comments

This thread has me wondering: when does discussing the law on a forum like AskMe cross over to giving legal advice? Obviously, any lawyer's first answer is going to be "talk to a lawyer." But then what? (A very similar professional ethics problem for doctors has been discussed here before.) My legal ethics class was fantastic, but we talked more about Enron than the internet.
posted by footnote on Aug 15, 2005 - 18 comments

As an update to this and other questions on the ethics and legality of using other people's wireless: Police in St. Petersburg, Florida have "arrested a man for using someone else's wireless Internet network in one of the first criminal cases involving this fairly common practice." (link, via)
posted by ori on Jul 9, 2005 - 11 comments

I wanted to create an FPP for this ten second film festival, which I think would be of interest to many MeFites, but I've run into a couple of ethical and logistical conundrums: 1) The festival is being run by a friend of mine, so I suppose I might be a little biased as to this being The Best of The Web. 2) You really have to be in the Twin Cities area to see the screening and win a prize, even though submissions are accepted from anywhere. Any thoughts about this being FPP worthy?
posted by bigbadem on Apr 11, 2005 - 11 comments

I have prepared an FPP about an organization that was recently the subject of a couple Internet memes (and Metafilter threads) that is now being sued by a major international corporation as a result of one of their pranks. Their web site is vague and asks people not to post rumors, but they sent out a number of details to their mailing list, including ways to support them. Would it be unethical for me to post this semi-private information to Metafilter? Could I get them in more trouble with this lawsuit? Half of me feels that Mefites might be willing to contribute to the cause, but the other half wants to be extremely careful.
posted by Plutor on Apr 1, 2005 - 28 comments

Without getting specific, does it not seem unethical to use Ask Metafilter to answer your employer's questions?
Is this acceptable, or what is the limit? (or maybe we need to implement some sort of "I'll answer for a percentage"
scheme - since you are getting paid to know the answer)
posted by milovoo on Mar 24, 2004 - 22 comments

I recently posted a link, and in it I happened to slip a 1x1 px graphic that is used by this site to create a map of internet users. Seemed harmless enough, but in retrospect I regret having done it. It was an action of questionable ethics, and I should have avoided it. Please nix my post and accept my apologies.
posted by oissubke on Feb 2, 2003 - 59 comments

Threads should be bias and threads should be made to provoke thought. However when does a thread cross the line of appropriate and thought provoking into the realm of insults and claptrap? What about this one or this one (self-post)? Should the inmates do the policing? If so, how can it policed? If a weblog is a form "journalism" should there be some sort of code of ethics? Or guidelines for objectivity?
posted by Bag Man on Oct 16, 2002 - 19 comments

Why do people feel so thoroughly justified about engaging in Google bombing?

Why is your opinion about something so important as to justify monkeywrenching the best search engine (if not the best thing) on the net? Why is your self-righteous indignation more important that leaving well enough alone?

If it is so important to you, why don't you build something equivalent with the specific aim of "educating the people" and stop piggybacking off of Google?

I am interested in Matt's opinion on this, since he's one of the ones that set this whole thing off.
posted by Irontom on May 15, 2002 - 76 comments

Tired of using mefi/mefi to log into the New York Times?

Now you don't have to.
posted by mr_crash_davis on Apr 24, 2002 - 31 comments

John Hiler has written a good piece discussing blogging and journalism. At the conclusion he outlines a ' Blogging Code of Ethics' which I think is meant to be a work in progress. Whilst I understand his point, surely there are only a very few weblog that actually have the level of impact and/or respect, for such a thing to be relevent? I don't know, is a 'Blogging Code of Ethics' really necessary? If you think it is, is there anything you would add/subtract from his list?
posted by RobertLoch on Apr 11, 2002 - 30 comments

Latest entry on the The Amos n Andy Episodes List? I think I'm with Malphigan on this. Talk about a poor reflection of MetaFilter to the larger world.
posted by y2karl on Nov 13, 2001 - 60 comments