as of Nov 9, there has been an official release from Cooks Source describing the impact of the internet response and the changes that have been made since then. They do not mention the unprofessional response that precipitated the .. er... storm.
I will make a series of posts sometime in the near future about internet publication and copyright, but I'll put those out when I have time to research them properly.
Anyway, I also came across Gaudio's update, and a blog-cap of recent events. The blog-cap concludes...
- The snarky apology is likely from editor Griggs (based on the reasoning that the mag's FB page was still under the control of Cooks Source at the time it was made, and that the tone matches that of the previous email).
- The accusation of FB hacking is bogus.
- Cooks Source has apologized and supposedly offered compensation in the form of the donation Gaudio requested, and a Food Bank donation.
- Cooks Source's explanation of how this happened is unsatisfactory.
In the original post, I should have devoted some time to another side of internet mauling: cyber bullying. Some of the responses I saw to this issue - particularly the bullying of small companies that advertise in the magazine - were completely out of line. And it wasn't a simple case of too many people jumping on the bandwagon at once. Fake/Troll accounts were made and used to issue inaccurate statements. At least one Facebook user posted the contact information of advertisers and encouraged other users to actively harass/spam each company until they posted a public apology and retraction of their advertising on Facebook.
I looked for the discussion topic to quote some examples, but I think it was flagged for removal. Which is good.
That particular Facebook user also boasted about enlisting the aid of his mom. Apparently, they don't get along but regularly come together for the purpose of phoning for politics, etc. Can we say issues?
I think the biggest tragedy/point of amazement is that this thing could have been avoided. Even if the work was 'erroneously submitted', when Gaudio called them out, there was an appropriate response, and it was not made.
Even when the internet exploded, there was an appropriate response and it was not made.
One of the former advertisers, 2nd Street Baking Co (which jumped on twitter and FB to defend itself against the hate mail/calls), summed it up very well in a few tweets on Nov 8, quoted below.
@techbelle I think it is the general sentiment that if Cooks Source had been apologetic and taken responsibility, this would already be over
@techbelle but it is the apparent arrogance and lack of owning up to it that has enraged people further
I think Laura at 2nd Street Baking tweeted all that really needs to be said.
The End.
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