[SIGCIS-Members] @EvgenyMorozov @NewYorker #ShowUsTheMissingPages

Mon Oct 13 10:13:05 PDT 2014

Thanks Ramesh,

Speaking as the actual Thomas Haigh, chair of the real SIGCIS, rather than
in my Colbertian persona as the head of an evil cabal, here's what I think.

First, this is a discussion list and we discuss things related to the
history of computing. The list has some acceptable use policies at
http://www.sigcis.org/node/14, which have not been reviewed for many years.
These suggest that once an open ended discussion develops it should be moved
to specialized sublists (which, long story short, we do not currently have
the ability to create) or to the comments section on SIGCIS blog posts
rather than continuing indefinitely on the main list. We tried enforcing
that policy, but discussions tended to die when we moved them onto the blog.
So Ramesh's position is perfectly reasonable.  We should probably revisit
those policies in the light of experiences with discussion flareups like
this one and in the light of new technologies. As a newly minted SIG VC of
Communications Ramesh is well placed to contribute to that.

Second, SIGCIS has no institutional position at this time on the
Morozov/Medina matter. We welcome all opinions. Janet Browne posted here and
is welcome to post again. Dave Walden spoke up against a rush to judgment.
SIGCIS is not a lynch mob. On the other hand, as Bill McMillan just pointed
out, some things are hard to discuss in the abstract. Telling details can
tell a lot.

Third, I think we have a greater chance of a productive discussion here than
on twitter. I don't tweet myself, and hashtag activism can come a little too
close to mob rule for my tastes. I like longer, more thoughtful messages.
I'd particularly like to see long, thoughtful messages from anyone who can
provide specific evidence on best practices in acknowledgement for venues
such as the New Yorker.

This last paragraph is a personal opinion: It's quite true that there are
real challenge involved in trying to straddle the roles of public
intellectual, highbrow journalist, and scholar. We should continue to
discuss those challenges. Morozov accepted them willingly, and as some have
noted is providing a teachable lesson in what can go wrong. I am personally
concerned primarily by Morozov's refusal in his Tumblr messages and tweets
to give one inch or find anything less than optimal in the text of his
published article. As Lee Vinsel's blog posts show, his responses have been
aggressive and sarcastic. Doubling down on his own infallibility is a risky
course of action. His initial Tumblr response could have outlined his
original sources for some parts of the article, reminded us that the New
Yorker is not a scholarly journal, and then apologized that in the
to-and-fro with the copyeditor he had inadvertently moved his sole remaining
acknowledgement too far down and failed to protest the deletion of language
signposting it as a review. Had he made a simple admission of doing a
difficult job less than perfectly then I am confident he would be receiving
only a small fraction of the antipathy currently being directed towards him.
It's the ugly subtext of his Tumblr responses and tweets that moved me to
parody.

Best wishes,

Tom

-----Original Message-----
From: members-bounces at sigcis.org [mailto:members-bounces at sigcis.org] On
Behalf Of Subramanian, Ramesh Prof.
Sent: Monday, October 13, 2014 10:37 AM
To: dave.walden.family at gmail.com; members at sigcis.org
Subject: Re: [SIGCIS-Members] @EvgenyMorozov @NewYorker
#ShowUsTheMissingPages

I agree with Dave that we attempt to take the high road, and stick to
discussing publishing ethics in the abstract on the SIGCIS mailing list. I
understand the frustrations of those historians who feel slighted,
overlooked and brushed off. Those who have been called out by name can
definitely respond to specifics. But intense personal viewpoints are
probably better expressed on personal blogs, with links provided on the
SIGCIS mailing list for those interested in following up.

-Ramesh

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
Ramesh Subramanian, Ph.D.
Gabriel Ferrucci Professor of Computer Information Systems Quinnipiac
University Hamden, CT 06518.
Phone: 203-582-5276
Email: ramesh.subramanian at quinnipiac.edu
Web: Ramesh Subramanian's web page
&
Visiting Fellow, Information Society Project Yale Law School New Haven, CT
06511
Email: ramesh.subramanian at yale.edu
Web: http://www.law.yale.edu/intellectuallife/9841.htm 

Recent books: 
Access to Knowledge in India: New Research on Intellectual Property,
Innovation and Development (Bloomsbury Academic, 2011) The Global Flow of
Information: Legal, Social and Cultural Perspectives (NYU Press, 2011)

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way
its animals are treated"
Mahatma Gandhi

-----Original Message-----
From: members-bounces at sigcis.org [mailto:members-bounces at sigcis.org] On
Behalf Of dave.walden.family at gmail.com
Sent: Monday, October 13, 2014 11:16 AM
To: members at sigcis.org
Subject: QU Spamtrap [Score:5.0] Re: [SIGCIS-Members] @EvgenyMorozov
@NewYorker #ShowUsTheMissingPages

Am I the only one who thinks this is getting out of hand.  It seems to me
there is a rush to convict the author based on second hand knowledge or to
try him in an ad hoc court ("produce the evidence") which could lead to
destroying his career, if that hasn't happened already regardless of what he
says now.  Perhaps his university or the magazine which have more first hand
facts should decide if there is a problem.  I think it is fine to discuss
publishing ethics on this list in the abstract or with example's whose
validity have been historically established.  I'd rather this list wasn't a
forum for what seems increasingly to me like savaging people's reputations
in the guise of an ethics discussion.  
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not reviewed, edited, or endorsed by SIGCIS. The list archives are at
http://sigcis.org/pipermail/members/ and you can change your subscription
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