Batir Wardam Blog: How to achieve conflict resolution in the Jordanian blogsphere

It seems that the recent problem emerging from the removal of three blogs from Jordan Blogs aggregator is out of proprtions now and there are grave consequences. It is bad to write something like a UN statement but we are in a need of conflict resolution in the Jordanian blogsphere.

Such a problem may have been destined to occure at some time. There is no "command and control" of the Jordanian blogsphere and that is the most remarkable added value of blogs. The idea that a blogsphere will organize itself, like a market may be naive and some principles should be applied.

We are a group of bloggers with diverse opinions, styles, objectives and feelings. We all share the love for writing and expressing ourselves. Beyond that we can be as diverse as a tropical rainforest. The only thread that will keep us integrated is a mutual respect to each other and to the "virtual institutions" that emerge.

Talking about institutions the only organized system here is to establish "aggregators" which are services done by bloggers themselves to keep all other bloggers united in a one-stop shop of blogs. When Jordan Planet was frozen we all felt the pain. I am sure each one of us felt a drop in hits and quality of comments and participation. We were all in desperate need for a new "home" for all of us.

Khaled did a wonderful job, out of his own time to establish Jordan blogs by bringing together all the blogs that were enlisted in Jordan Planet and then added more gradually. Jordan Blogs became our home and then Qwaider brilliantly set up another aggregator with that included Arab flavour with some Arab blogs that were not selected in Toot. Other aggregators including Sawtona provided more blogs and the Jordanian blogsphere was almost complete with the three sites.

At this stage let me emphasize few points:

1- Jordan Blogs is a service provided kindly by Khaled from his own time. He has been assisted by a committee of bloggers later to manage the site. He should be thanked and not attacked.

2- Jordan Blogs is not a governemnt and Khaled is not a dictator. He is a devoted person who wanted to bring Jordanian bloggers together voluntarily. However, Khaled and the committee have de facto rights to manage since they have volunteered.

3- The issues of the three removed blogs was eventual to arise. Maybe not with the three in particular but with others. At any point of time someone in JB committee will feel that some blogs are sending messages that are not "responsible".

4- So, who decides responsibility and who has the right to evaluate? In the theoritical point of view Khaled and committee will have only their opinions but at the end they do manage a site that is liable. Some decisions have to be taken.

5- The controversial content was related to harsh criticism to the Jordanian regime-sometimes with a hatred feeling- and opening up porn links. The regime criticism can be liable by law, while the porn issue is more linked with standard moral values. Does Khaled and the committee have the right to delete the blogs?

My own idea is that JB can be managed in a more democratic way by engaging the stakeholders (bloggers) and making them share responsibility. So, if Khaled thinks that certain blogs are offensive or maybe causing legal liability to the aggregator a small poll can be placed to ask the population of JB to vote for keeping the certain blogs or not. In case that the vote was in favour of "yes" all bloggers should bear the responsibility and if they said "no" then a joint decision has to be respected.

This is beyond us now but it can be used in future cases.

In the meantime I am very worried about Khaled's last statement. Oviously he is hurt-rightly so- with an unjustified campaign against him. He is disappointed and would love nothing like leaving all this and focusing on his studies. In this case we should all feel and say that Jordan Blogs is our home and we want it to be alive. Some bloggers are angry but the majority are supportive of Khaled and want JB to remian. In this case we should not let Khaled carry the responsibility alone. I have the following ideas:

1- Elect a 7 members management committee with Khaled as head.

2- Develop a code of conduct to JB that every blogger should accept and adhere to. It should be clear and if anyone has problems-including myself- can carry his/her blog to another aggregator.

3- If a blogger violates the code of conduct he/she should be notified with the violation and asked to remove the offensive post.

A new Ministry of blogsphere control? No. Just a group of bloggers who want to be in one place and manage this home in a democratic way.

I would love to hear some feedback here.