Apr 24, 2013, 9:59 am
Last edit by: Beltway2A
First attempt at a wiki, so feel free to wiki away at it (add blogs, add links, etc, etc):
Censors:
Delta Points (Renés Points)
Frugal Travel Guy
Milesabound - censors himself on rants
milesforfamily
MileValue
Million Mile Secrets
Very Good Points
Point Me To The Plane
Flyertalk
Travel Blogger Buzz - (proof is TBBs own words here)
TravelSkills
The Points Guy
The Points of Life
GodSaveThePoints
One Mile at a Time
Does Not Censor:
First2Board
Fishing4Deals
Food, Wine, and Miles
Hack My Trip
Head for Points
Miles From Blighty
Miles To The Wild
Points Summary
The Points Jock - Bill of Rights +1
ThreadTripping
Traveling Well For Less
Wald Around The World
Will Run For Miles
Doctor of Credit
View From the Wing
Censors:
Delta Points (Renés Points)
Frugal Travel Guy
Milesabound - censors himself on rants
milesforfamily
MileValue
Million Mile Secrets
Very Good Points
Point Me To The Plane
Flyertalk
Travel Blogger Buzz - (proof is TBBs own words here)
TravelSkills
The Points Guy
The Points of Life
GodSaveThePoints
One Mile at a Time
Does Not Censor:
First2Board
Fishing4Deals
Food, Wine, and Miles
Hack My Trip
Head for Points
Miles From Blighty
Miles To The Wild
Points Summary
The Points Jock - Bill of Rights +1
ThreadTripping
Traveling Well For Less
Wald Around The World
Will Run For Miles
Doctor of Credit
View From the Wing
Which miles and points blogs censor comments?
May 28, 2013, 11:24 am
#121
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,626
+1
I think Daraius had been trying to position his blog as being more straightforward and transparent than the other blogs. If he would have introduced the guest blogger "And now here's an article about Lufthansa by Drew," people would have applauded and it would have been a non-issue. As it was, when readers mentioned Drew's byline in comments, if Drew wrote the article Daraius should have quickly acknowledged that Drew wrote the article. I believe that would have been the smarter thing to do. Removing Drew's name as author of the article and not responding to questions about it is what has created Authorgate and made it an issue.
I think Daraius had been trying to position his blog as being more straightforward and transparent than the other blogs. If he would have introduced the guest blogger "And now here's an article about Lufthansa by Drew," people would have applauded and it would have been a non-issue. As it was, when readers mentioned Drew's byline in comments, if Drew wrote the article Daraius should have quickly acknowledged that Drew wrote the article. I believe that would have been the smarter thing to do. Removing Drew's name as author of the article and not responding to questions about it is what has created Authorgate and made it an issue.
May 28, 2013, 11:22 pm
#122
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 970
It's deceitful. Usually it's done to make it appear as though multiple people share the same point of view, or at least more people do than otherwise care to comment. The goal then is to persuade readers based on frequency with which an opinion is hed.
It's used as a cover for spam. If you post the same message 20 times, I think it's reasonable to view doing so as spam meant to drown out productive conversation. But if 20 different people do it, that's not spam that's a whole bunch of people expressing an opinion in the same way.
Ultimately if your concern is "deceiving the readers" (though I am always surprised by how many people here are concerned with these nameless, faceless 'other' readers that are clearly downtrodden and in need of sympathy and protection) then it seems like you should also not want deceipt by commenters.
Just as you also wouldn't want deceit by forum community members who post misinformation on deal threads in order to prevent people from taking advantage of deals and keep those deals alive longer for themselves.
It's used as a cover for spam. If you post the same message 20 times, I think it's reasonable to view doing so as spam meant to drown out productive conversation. But if 20 different people do it, that's not spam that's a whole bunch of people expressing an opinion in the same way.
Ultimately if your concern is "deceiving the readers" (though I am always surprised by how many people here are concerned with these nameless, faceless 'other' readers that are clearly downtrodden and in need of sympathy and protection) then it seems like you should also not want deceipt by commenters.
Just as you also wouldn't want deceit by forum community members who post misinformation on deal threads in order to prevent people from taking advantage of deals and keep those deals alive longer for themselves.
The most outrageously "deceitful" action is posting content as if it was your own work, rather than admitting is was paid content - and it's even worse when you refuse to answer when called out about the fraud (which is what it is) while holding yourself out to be as clean as the driven snow. Sort of reminds me of Bernie Madoff in a way - an "upstanding" citizen by outward appearances, but a scumbag and a fraud in reality.
May 29, 2013, 8:07 am
#124
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 167
MMS crunched the numbers.
He saw how much dough he's pulling in from this 10 piece LH filler
Mother in Law gets kicked to the curb
As is usually the case with CC links, integrity can be bought
May 29, 2013, 11:05 pm
#125
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: NYC / Chelsea
Programs: Delta, Avios, Chase
Posts: 1,099
This whole thread has been amusing to read. It's quite enjoyable to see you bloggers ripping each other apart. Enjoy hiding behind the accusations of censorship - the average reader can tell that this is internet drama to discredit each other so that you can each get more referral links. I agree that a noob may be awed by the Lufthansa post that MMS passed off as his own. However, I think that people like me, who are casual players at this points game, have quickly determined which blogs contain useful, well-researched information, and which ones are just credit card shills which promote the same cards over and over again with their affiliate links. You are all just making yourselves look bad. Just my two cents.
May 29, 2013, 11:23 pm
#126
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 6,385
This whole thread has been amusing to read. It's quite enjoyable to see you bloggers ripping each other apart. Enjoy hiding behind the accusations of censorship - the average reader can tell that this is internet drama to discredit each other so that you can each get more referral links. I agree that a noob may be awed by the Lufthansa post that MMS passed off as his own. However, I think that people like me, who are casual players at this points game, have quickly determined which blogs contain useful, well-researched information, and which ones are just credit card shills which promote the same cards over and over again with their affiliate links. You are all just making yourselves look bad. Just my two cents.
May 30, 2013, 8:18 am
#128
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Programs: Airline Free Agent, Fairmont Lifetime Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 3,041
May 30, 2013, 11:00 am
#129
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Brooklyn
Programs: AMEX Plat, AAdvantage Gold, UA, SPG Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 963
But someone told me that I should keep them shorter....
Ill see what I can do for you George.
May 30, 2013, 11:08 am
#130
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 599
Recommended reading for those interested in the economics behind affiliate linking which seems to be the basis for increased censorship on blogs:
Loyalty Traveler - BAcon Bits about credit card affiliate marketing
Loyalty Traveler - BAcon Bits about credit card affiliate marketing
May 30, 2013, 11:13 am
#131
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: SPG Platinum, UA GS
Posts: 121
The only example of new/increased comment filtering seems to be speculation about MMS, and that's driven by 'authorgate' (and while the posts in question contain affiliate links, the issue isn't the links as much as questions over who wrote the posts).
An equally plausible explanation for comment censoring -- if it's on the increase and as I say I only know of speculation about one blog possibly changing its approach -- is all of the snarky comments about affiliate linking.
It doesn't seem like censorship is on the rise, although it certainly exists (and has existed) on some blogs (for a long time).
And it does seem like much of what's deleted (and has been on those blogs that censor) relates to affilaite credit card stuff. But whether that's a function of affiliate links per se or the increasing level of snark by some (including some that frequent this forum) is itself debatable.
May 30, 2013, 11:16 am
#132
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 6,385
May 30, 2013, 11:54 am
#133
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 167
Considering how many people wanted to give their clicks on the grounds of how hard they "thought" he worked on it (80+ hours!), the CC issue and the who wrote it issue are joined at the hip
May 31, 2013, 8:02 am
#134
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: A few
Posts: 5,499
Can we add FT to the list of places where comments are censored?
Or have we all forgotten that comments get censored here, any talk about mods gets summary dismissal and stern warnings?
As is common in this new forum, I feel I see a pot and a black kettle
Or have we all forgotten that comments get censored here, any talk about mods gets summary dismissal and stern warnings?
As is common in this new forum, I feel I see a pot and a black kettle
May 31, 2013, 8:03 am
#135
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: A few
Posts: 5,499
Really??? I still think given the stance you've taken on this topic, you have excluded yourself from ever using affiliate links. It would just look stupid. You seem a great guy, your blog is great, but I would never, ever, ever use your links based on you building your presence as the link mocker