I have just put up the link for a new TDC document on http://thanetpress.blogspot.com/ which is where I am putting all their press releases and links to their newly published documents that I can find.Reading through today’s new documents I noticed on this one http://tdc-mg-dmz.thanet.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?MId=1611 item 11 is a draught protocol on blogging.
Any one any idea what this could be about and if it could effect us bloggers in some way?
Perhaps TDC are working up to using blogger for their press releases and to announce newly published documents as I suggested to them, mind you I didn’t notice any protocols being announced when they started using Youtube or Twitter.
Oh well I suppose any attempt by the council to control the internet should be interesting.
Michael,
ReplyDeleteAFIK no TDC employee has access to Blogger from their work space computer, the only person who does is the Councils Monitoring Officer, who incidently I have a lot more faith in than the previous one!
Well Mike if its not the officers they want to control then it’s probably you blogging councillors, I am afraid after I heard about the member portal, the TDC flesh filter and tried to use their email server to contact Brian White, nothing much their IT department did would surprise me.
ReplyDeleteMichael,
ReplyDeleteMany have tried none have succeeded (sp?) in shutting up Councillors who want to have their say in whatever forum, as I sit here in my shed at the bottom of my garden if I want to say " %^&^%_)(*)&*%%&*£"$^()__ " about someone I will.
There is absolutly nothing TDC can do about it, the only restraining thing is if I think I am about to breach the Code of Conduct that we all signed up to. Having been forcibly ejected from the Council Chamber on three ocassions by the Police in the past with the benefit of age and experience and Nu Labour I have learnt to make barbed attacks very politly.
Such actions now would result in an immediate disqualification.
Well done Mike .....I am not sure blogs and twitter facebook etc do much to promote the council but then what do I know as Michael said flesh filter etc the TDC IT department needed a new broom
ReplyDeleteNice to know that offwicers can breach the code then? I mean who is managing the manager at inadequate TDC?
ReplyDeleteI can only speculate Michael that this is guidance to Councillors when running their own blogs and commenting openly on blogs. One thinks of Cllr Nottinghams recent difficulties and Cllr Green's problems in this respect. I think such guidance would be helpful to most with particular reference to Cllr Gregory's blog and a recent posting left on it before being removed.
ReplyDeleteMy sources tell me that Our Leader and Deputy are particularly prickly about certain blogs.
It would appear from traffic on Thanet Strife that either the monitoring officer has become politically biased or that others are using his computer to monitor blogs,if what Cllr Harrison says is correct. I can only speculate on their identity.
There is recent evidence that Cllr Moores (with more abundant technical expertise than the average new Cabinet Member) has been monitoring blogs and then warning other Councillors of items that refer to them or may be critical of TDC policy etc.
I have no problems with this at all and its good to see a pro-active approach and counter- argument and clarification process happening. We are still dealing at TDC with 'control freakery' where secrecy and information control is used as a way of preventing Councillors , let alone the general public know what is going on.
What of course is being recognised is the role of many blogs in Thanet in informing and letting the light of day enter areas where the slimy sediment of obfuscation and secrecy would rather remain in the dark at the bottom of the pond.
Me I do not get worried about any protocol,if I believe it wrong IO will say so. \If its illegal, its OFF
ReplyDelete