Self-linking is a no-no. July 25, 2001 8:18 AM   Subscribe

Posted here to keep me from bringing it up on MetaFilter: If you're going to link to your brother's page (domain whois), admit it.
posted by rcade to Etiquette/Policy at 8:18 AM (12 comments total)

damn, rodgers. you good.
posted by jpoulos at 8:58 AM on July 25, 2001


(in chief Wiggum's Edward G. Robinson-esque bleat)
Nyeeeeaaagh, That's some fine police work, boys.
posted by dong_resin at 9:44 AM on July 25, 2001


So do you run the name of every person who posts a link through NSI as well? Is linking to a site not allowed - in your opinion - if that person is closer than a second cousin?

Some of you people just live to bust self (or extended family) linkers.. The only problem with that is you end up hurting the signal to noise ratio more than those that you're trying to 'protect' us from. Long term, you've got people so paranoid about linking to someone they may have had an encounter with at some point in there lives - or god forbid, even know personally - that they post 'safe' links to WSJ, ZD, Wired to avoid getting ostracized. At which point you(figuratively) proceed to bitch about links to commonly known web sites. Later, rinse, repeat. Fun.
posted by djc at 10:45 AM on July 25, 2001


Actually djc, the link seems fishy, so I'm guessing Roger checked the whois and stumbled upon the truth by accident.

The entire country is getting a refund, and I'm sure there are already dozens of sites proclaiming what people are doing with the money, so why was today's link to an amateurish-looking basic page? Why wasn't it to a collaborative web-based app at whatididwithmyrefund.com or something similar? The link wasn't very impressive, and when things aren't impressive, they're often self-links or something else going on.

Why are self links frowned upon? There's a bunch of good reasons, but here's one good reason: if you created what you're linking to, your filters for "is this good enough for metafilter?" are going to be clouded by the fact you like it because you created it.

Frankly, I like that people are afraid to self-link, and that they wait until their creation is deemed worthy enough of posting by letting an unknown member see it and post it.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 11:15 AM on July 25, 2001


...and the signal to noise ratio isn't hurt when the discussion about a link is confined here, and kept off the main site (as it is perfectly done in this case).
posted by mathowie (staff) at 11:16 AM on July 25, 2001


So do you run the name of every person who posts a link through NSI as well?

No, but the linked page was so bad I figured it had to be a self-link or something close. jhiggy has posted a lot of good links, but on this one he clearly jumped the rails.



posted by rcade at 11:36 AM on July 25, 2001


I think that more often than not, people don't run the 'is this good enough for metafilter' filter regardless of what they're linking to. If JoeBlow links to something, he's doing it because he does think its 'cool/informative/whatever'. People tend to think that their own shit is cooler than the rest more often than not, and therefore deserves a link.

At any rate, I wanted to make an observation not so much about the policies of who gets to link(although its turned into that), but those who seem to enjoy picking out and confronting those that choose to link to themselves(or family member, or associate). Reading metatalk over the last couple months it seems that some seem to get just as much enjoyment from policing(or to simply extrapolate the qualifacations of other non-self-linking links on the front page) as they do from posting themselves.

Just my observations, take them with however many grains of salt you want.. I'm not trying to start a 'What is the purpose/reason/spiritual meaning of metafilter' thread or anything :)
posted by djc at 11:54 AM on July 25, 2001


Has anyone let jhiggy know he's being discussed here?

Matt -- could there be some refinement of the MetaTalk topic creation to remind people to invite the interested parties, or some other broader notification?
posted by briank at 12:00 PM on July 25, 2001


At any rate, I wanted to make an observation not so much about the policies of who gets to link (although its turned into that), but those who seem to enjoy picking out and confronting those that choose to link to themselves(or family member, or associate).

The point of the etiquette forum is to discuss "what should or shouldn't be posted on MetaFilter." Should I be ashamed that I'm using the forum for its stated purpose?
posted by rcade at 12:27 PM on July 25, 2001


I agree rcade. Djc, I think you fail to see the point of the topic under which this thread appears. Also it is the age old publisher saying of having something for everyone by printing mistakes for those inclined to forever search for them.

I take it that the rules of metafilter are somewhat fluid at times, but adhere to the cultivation of good discourse.
posted by john at 2:00 PM on July 25, 2001


I can't speak for rcade, but I happen to think it is fun when you catch someone who thinks they're too clever to get caught. Despite all the bitching everyone does around here about the MeFi cops, there are really only a few rules. How hard is it not to self-link, ferchrissakes!

Also, note, none of this would have happened if the site in question hadn't been god awful. If you're going to rob a bank, don't drive up in a neon-orange ice cream truck.
posted by jpoulos at 2:05 PM on July 25, 2001


jhiggy has posted a lot of good links

that's true.
posted by lagado at 10:28 PM on July 25, 2001


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