Blogging terms going mainstream

January 4, 2005 4:23 PM

BBC warns regarding dangers of being "dooced" Not long after making the Wired Jargon Watch, I finally got to see the term "dooced", in action as the BBC posts an article regarding the growing conflict between employers and employees when it comes to blogging.
posted by superchicken (18 comments total)

That BBC article doesn't even mention Heather. I hate it when reporters don't bother to do the most basic backstory research.

(At least we have Wired for posterity ...)
posted by damn yankee at 4:37 PM on January 4, 2005

If there's anyone left who hasn't read her site, it's never too late to start. Here's her post about getting "dooced" (before it was known as that.)
posted by 327.ca at 4:39 PM on January 4, 2005

dude that is so not fetch
posted by dhoyt at 4:58 PM on January 4, 2005

That inspired me the following:

The Paradox of Required Experience (Salary Catch-22)

To get a work you need previous work experience
To get previous work experience you need a work

Therefore, if you never had a work, you'll never have one
but because nobody is born with previous job experience
nobody will ever get a work ; therefore even if you didn't
really knew until now, your work is an illusion. Therefore
we need not pay you.
posted by elpapacito at 5:30 PM on January 4, 2005

I was fired over my web site way back in 1997. Heather's situation is nothing new.
posted by camworld at 5:56 PM on January 4, 2005

Wow, freedom of speech sure burns sometimes, doesn't it? Barring obvious problems (like libel or revealing legitimate company secrets), I can't help but feel good about the power of the blog. Kinda like cheap cameras: yes, people use them in stupid and illegal ways, but they also raise the chance of the public learning about important events we'd never see otherwise. I know seeing firsthand footage of the tsunami's effects made the tragedy all the more real to me, as irrational as that may be.

In short, I hope we stop this "doocing" crap.
posted by Maxson at 5:58 PM on January 4, 2005

The link didn't provide any etymology for the "dooced" word - I'm sure it's something goofy but I'm curious. Anyone?
posted by freebird at 6:19 PM on January 4, 2005

OK.

But why not just take a look at her site?
posted by 327.ca at 6:29 PM on January 4, 2005

My favourite in this genre is Call Centre Confidential. The poor author works as a supervisor in an English call centre.

Call Centre Tony was livid. “So you’re telling me I have to fill in a taco-graph to tell you every time I have had a slash in the day – what are you going to do? Fit a cafetière so I don’t need to leave my desk?”

“Catheter.” Sooty said.

“Pardon?” Tony was raging.

“A cafetière makes coffee. A catheter collects urine.”

“And like you Nigel – it takes the piss.” With that, Tony left the room.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 6:56 PM on January 4, 2005

In short, I hope we stop this "doocing" crap.

While I agree with your sentiment, I've actually had a run-in at my previous work where a supervisor used to denigrate her employees and co-workers on her personal blog that was widely read throughout the organization. I reported the site and it was shut down -- but the individual was not fired.

Cam's experience explains what many people will forget: private companies can fire an empoyee for any reason as long as it isn't about race, gender, age, disability, etc.

Eventually, there will be more and more cases and companies will realize that this is an issue that could resolved without harsh reactionary measures.

Until then, it's blogger beware.
posted by superchicken at 6:59 PM on January 4, 2005

I reported the site and it was shut down

You suck.
posted by reklaw at 7:11 PM on January 4, 2005

Thanks 327 - I seem to have developed a lame habit of not following Wired links; I'd just hit the first and last of the post. My guess had been that it was an adaptation of some acronym; it's fortunate that I didn't bet the car on it after all.

Dismissed Over Online Catharses?
posted by freebird at 7:15 PM on January 4, 2005

private companies can fire an employee for any reason.

You forgot "In America, ..."

Sorry, couldn't resist.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 7:16 PM on January 4, 2005

The BBC article starts with the story of a girl who writes The Diary of a Flight Attendant. She was dooced (she guesses) for posting pictures of herself lounging about in short skirt and unbuttoned blouse in an empty plane. Funny stuff.
posted by airguitar at 10:24 PM on January 4, 2005

reklaw, I'm all for free speech, but some people clearly abuse this right. This particular person was my supervisor and she not only used profane slurs to describe my co-workers, but she had also used the first and last names of customers who annoyed her.

After a while it got so bad that her entries became common conversation. "Did you hear what xxx said about xxx? She called her an annoying slut!" When the affected parties came to me and expressed their anger over this, I as their supervisor made sure it didn't happen again. I didn't ask for the site to be taken down or her fired. My guess she took the site down voluntarily, and she kept her job and was warned.

That's more than I can say for other people who were fired for far less. They didnt' deserve it, she did. But I guess working at a government institution versus prviate sector makes a huge difference here.

Regardless, I don't believe people like Cam and Heather should have been fired. In my case, if I was the supervisor, I probably would have fired this bad egg, considering she'd been given more than a few warnings about this.
posted by superchicken at 12:11 AM on January 5, 2005

My previous employer tried to can me because I said in my blog that Lotus Notes was a fucking nightmare to work with (it's an IBM shop).

It was really funny because he screwed the whole thing up and I would have ruined him at an industrial tribunal (note to employers, disciplinary procedures are there for you to follow too).

It was even funnier when I handed in my notice 3 weeks later and suddenly, he didn't want me to leave.

I don't miss it, and Lotus Notes is still a pile of shite.
posted by jackiemcghee at 1:26 AM on January 5, 2005

I guess you'd also get fired for putting up a billboard by the freeway saying "Acme sucks!".

Billboard, Internet, what's the difference?
posted by HTuttle at 4:25 AM on January 5, 2005

327.ca is right--if it's called being "dooced" because of Heather's being fired over "dooce.com" (and there seems to be no other logical explanation for it) then it was lame-ass reportage for the BBC not to include Heather and dooce.com in the story.
posted by Sidhedevil at 11:06 AM on January 5, 2005