LJ Advisory Board

[rm]

Well, I've been officially certified as a candidate in the LJ Advisory Board Election and I've been offered the opportunity to talk a little bit about where I stand in a post that will be linked to from the poll.


Four questions were suggested to all the candidates for this post, and since this isn't a format I've pursued before, I decided to run with it.

As some of you know, I will actually be in Sicily for the next week (I leave later today), so my access may be sporadic during that time, but what online time I have will be dedicated to this election process, which I believe has the potential to make LJ a better place regardless of the outcome.


What do you think is the value of LJ?

For me personally, LJ has been a way to stay in touch with friends, hone my writing and document my life for myself, and at least intermittently, for the amusement of others. I met my partner here. I found support when I was diagnosed with a rather unpleasant genetic disease. And I have fun talking about the things I'm passionate about from fencing to fandom.

While those LJ experiences are far from uncommon, they don't even begin to speak to the totality of LJ's value both as a platform for personal expression and a tool for community development. LJ gives the user the unique ability to feel both less alone in the world and more singular, whether on issues serious or trivial.

LJ allows users to experience both the world as they wish it to be, through connections with like-minded individuals, and to witness the world as it is through exposure to those of completely different circumstances and views.


What changes would you like to see LJ make in the next year?

The number one issue has to be better and more respectful communications between LJ and its users. Every other concern (and there are a whole bunch we'll get to in just a second) can only be addressed if this happens. That means LJ has to recognize that users generate the content that brings in even more users that in turn generate the revenue in an ideally constant cycle. LJ's users -- free, plus and paid -- are the building blocks of the revenue model and should be treated accordingly.

What does that mean?

It means we need a clear TOS that is uniformly enforced.

It means we need communication with users whenever the TOS is updated.

It means we need a system for dealing with abuse and other user concerns that is transparent and allows users to present their side of the case -- justice without defense or appeal is not justice.

It means we need an LJ administration that recognizes and is comfortable with the diversity of its users and their interests.

Practically, what needs to happen in the next year?

LJ needs to finally resolve the free speech issues that began with Strikeout and Boldthrough. While as a private corporation LJ has the right to decide what type of content it will and won't allow, my argument is for the broadest range of speech permissible under the laws of California (where LJ is incorporated). This level of free speech should be the right of all LJ users, regardless of location or topic. Political speech needs to be protected. Religious speech needs to be protected. Creative speech needs to be protected. If it's legal speech it should be permissible on LJ.

LJ is a platform. Not a parent.

LJ needs to address disability issues. This includes getting the ALT tag working for our visually impaired users and apologizing to users with mental health/illness issues for essentially erasing their existence from the site in the debacle with the top 100 interests list.

LJ needs to honor its original commitments made to the users. These include the ongoing availability of free accounts and the right of every user to experience an ad-free LJ if they so choose.


Why do you want to be the elected representative?

To be frank, I hemmed and hawed about running at the beginning. This job is going to be hard. It's going to be time-consuming and it's going to be thankless.

But the fact remains that I have a set of unique characteristics and credentials that make me believe I am the person who can most make the LJ powers-that-be listen.

Why?

I currently have early adopter, paid and free accounts.

I am a professional author whose publisher advertises on the site.

I have an extensive professional background in public relations and marketing.

I have the previous experience of working for an on-line community of which I was also an active part.

I already have a good rapport with staff members on several of the current user concerns. At the same time, I have no personal friendships or loyalties to the staff or other powers that be.

I am relentless, clear, and systematic when it comes to problem solving.

I love LJ with all my heart, but I am not a cheerleader. I will call it like I see it, and can be both diplomatic and aggressive.

I am resilient.

I am an active and proud part of fandom (HP, Torchwood/Doctor Who, Riverside, His Dark Materials, Kushiel, etc.)

Everything that makes me not cuddly in most circumstances makes me perfect for this job.


What do you think are the community's greatest concerns?

Communication. Respect. The safety to be ourselves. The right to be ourselves. What the TOS really means. Free expression. A high quality user experience. Features that work. Features that matter. Preservation of community. Preservation of LJ's unique culture. Accessibility. Usability.

vote RM!
Keeping LJ a place we want to be;
Making LJ a place we want to stay.

Comments

[lacombe.livejournal.com]

Good luck. For what it's worth, you have my support.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[brennakimi.livejournal.com]

i'm really impressed with the thoroughness of your platform and i will be voting for you momentarily. do you have a banner?

[rm.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

No banner yet, and I just got back from Italy, but I will try to do one tonight.

[shayheyred.livejournal.com]

RM, you don't know me (I think) but I just wanted to drop by to say I voted for you. Among other things, we're fellow New Yorkers, GW alums and enthusiasts for things fencing and historical. But more than that, I liked what you had to say. In an LJ election where a misogynistic buffoon seems to be leading the voting, your platform, as it were, stood out as intelligent and positive. My friends and I are doing our best to get you elected.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much.

And what an odd group of things to have in common!

[dbaxdevilsfan.livejournal.com]

You got my vote.

[ihateswine.livejournal.com]

"the right of every user to experience an ad-free LJ"

Why is this a Right? TANSTAFFL. Are you saying that LJ isn't worth $20 a year?

I voted for JAMETH

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Perhaps "right" isn't the correct term to use, but LJ was ad-free when I joined and I have an expectation that the service would improve rather than get worse.

[dbaxdevilsfan.livejournal.com]

If the TOS offered an ad-free environment, and I agreed to join with that expectation, then yes, I have that right. I (and others) should not have to DL adblock to get what we signed up for.

All these Jameth supporters who are coming here, and being rude, well, let's just say they're not endearing him to people. If you don't agree with her statement, fine. Vote for someone else.

[rm.livejournal.com]

No, I am not saying that. Considering I've paid it every year for years eventhough I've also had access to an early adopter account.

What I am saying is that everyone uses LJ differently and some users woud prefer fewer services with no ads. Often these users will convert to paid or ad-viewing accounts. Regardless even free users are generating content that helps grow the site and therefore revenue and I believe that these accounts need to continue to exist for the long term community and financial health of LJ.

Thanks for participating in the process.

[spectralbovine.livejournal.com]

LJ gives the user the unique ability to feel both less alone in the world and more singular
I really, really like this statement.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[pyrop.livejournal.com]

• I have an extensive professional background in public relations and marketing.


• I have the previous experience of working for an on-line community of which I was also an active part.

Can you expand on this? What company did you work for in PR/Marketing? What did you do there? What on-line community? How were you an active part of it?

[insomnia.livejournal.com]

I can attest from my time in the early days of LJ that is is talented at what she says that she's skilled at, but I don't know how much she can answer about the specifics right now, as she is in Italy.

That said, some of this info is available in her bio. You may also want to check out her post and responses in my ljunited community. We voted overwhelmingly to endorse her, in large part because her POV is very much in line with the community's goals.

[insomnia.livejournal.com]

Oh, and btw, you *REALLY* should consider joining LJ United, because I am aware of your statistical work on LJ's shrinking as far as site activity goes. In fact, it's part of the information I am hoping that we will convince rm to bring to the attention of the advisory board should she get the nomination.

If she doesn't win, it will be harder to do that, but it will still be our goal to arm the decision makers and other board members with information, so that they can make informed decisions... and knowing that LJ is at risk of dying out without a real emphasis on growth and on loyalty to their customers is a big part of the equasion.

Basically, our goal is to be around even after the election, in order to influence the powers that be as best as we can.

[rm.livejournal.com]

I worked in public relations and marketing for About.com (originally The Mining Company -- I worked there through and was involved with the name change and the IPO), Neale-May & Partners (PR agency) and Brainlink International (computer security/HIPAA compliance firm), as well as several other companies on a freelance basis. I've been quoted here and there in PR trade publications and in industry-related books.

I was an active community member at Mindvox where I later became a staff member. Mindvox was a high profile BBS/ISP combo in the 1990s. It no longer exists, but a Google will bring up a lot of media, including a rather embarassing article by Sassy magazine that includes comments I made when I was 18 (17 years ago).

[medea-aries.livejournal.com]

Quick question: Slash? Good, bad or whatever rocks your boat?

[insomnia.livejournal.com]

RM is out of town right now, but given that she has written slash, I would have to say that she thinks its good!

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

I don't know you from a bar of soap, but absolutely everything you said pushed the right buttons for me.

I take any sort of politics quite seriously and as a livejournal user for six years, I cannot say I've been terribly happy with many of the changes that have occurred.

I endorse your campaign and will make "some effort" to promote it.

You have my every best wish for the success for this election.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[batty-gal.livejournal.com]

You have my vote, and good luck!

[rm.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[junebugged.livejournal.com]

I can't remember how I first knew of you - it may have been in rahalia_cat's lj, or perhaps splix's or neo_nym's, but I have always thought of you as a clear-headed, rational, incredibly eloquent person.

You have my vote (and my friend request, if that's cool).

[jade-kadir.livejournal.com]

I wrote a short piece about the elections here (http://jade-kadir.livejournal.com/348264.html) and I was wondering if you would be able to respond to it.

[floorcoaster.livejournal.com]

Wow. I read all the posts, and you've got my vote. :D

[rm.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Day Late and something about a Doller

[senseless.livejournal.com]

I dunno how I missed all this...

You did really well!