As i See IT

If You Play With Snake Be Prepared For Trouble

// August 1st, 2009 // Rants, Web 2.0

As a general rule I believe animals can only be true to their nature. The human being is no exception, Sometimes you got to call a snake a snake. It isn’t a worm it isn’t and ant … It’s a snake. In a recent conversation another female business owner asked me to be patient with a another individual in our business circles. True we each have our faults but sometimes a snake is a snake…

I use the analogy simply to reference hidden threats.

As a business person when do you step back and decide this is neither a business nor person you wish to interact with! When you see this do you just shake your head and walk in the opposite direction or yell “SNAKE”

Both lists are alphabetized except for the mediocre attempts (lest we be sued) on the right to appear original, and then the entries are simply stuck in.  What upsets me is that the individual on the right is a member of the group on the left!  Is it coincidence? I’ll leave room for the possibility, hence no names!

But it’s none of your business…

So why is this of concern to me…?  I was approached by the individual on the right to speak totheir group. I would have accepted had I not been negotiating with another group to present during the third week of August and I was simply waiting to suggest she bring her member.  The event is free and the networking opportunity would have been great for all involved.  The other group had approached to be part or the Fashioncamp outreach.

So how do you handle a situation like this do like most people and pretend you never saw it.  Ethics is not often discussed on the web. Creative commons, data management, IP rights; these are discussed at length but ethics, especially when it involves a third party is not! Before you answer how would you feel if I introduced you to someone who copied your proposal?

Among artist, we may point it out in privacy of close colleagues, but take a stand.  I guess I am a little more direct, or just tired of the pattern. There is a feeling you get when you suspect that something is not right! Is it my intuition or my conscious!

I will approach the parties and express my concern. There are ways to use and secure an idea without resorting to this.  What disturbs me is that no credit was given (Standard web practice)

Will I stick to the original plan and put fort an open invitation to attend the free and open discussion? I will not point out the individual without concrete proof but the notion of exposing others to that possibility bothers me?

I later noticed that the second site is a commercial entity, planning to video-taping (not mentioned in the invite).  I am clear on my boundaries; I do a lot of community work.  For paid membership commercial sites invites will be treated as a professional engagement!

I am making this public stand so that others understand that they have a choice to accept this or stand up.