As I pointed out a few days back, there’s been a ruckus over at Noemi’s blog about the identity, ownership and authorship of the blog used to run by a 13-year old kid (he’s 14 now).
I have to be frank and say I initially believed it was really a 13-year old boy who created his own blog and wrote all those posts. First time I heard of him was thru the popular blogs of Darren Rowse and John Chow. I was proud to see a grassroots Filipino blogger succeed in blogging and at a very young age.
Nevertheless, a cloud of suspicion and curiosity looms on all those we see as “too good to be true“.
I wanted to personally meet this kid, talk to him and get more inspiration for myself. I even mentioned him in some of my recent talks. Set aside the writing style, I thought his enthusiasm in blogging and making money online reflects his very young age.
However, all that has change now that every other blogger is calling him (or his dad) out.
Noemi started out the conversation:
Responsible bloggers recognize that they are publishing words for everyone to read. Does it follow that they have certain ethical obligations to their readers, the people they write about, and society in general ? The blog’s greatest strength, particularly its uncensored and uncontrolled voice, is deemed its greatest weakness. Most bloggers are against anything that constrain their freedom. But most bloggers also know that The blogosphere runs on customs and norms – on what the community feels is acceptable…
BA Racoma says:
What’s so cool and disturbing about Web2.0 is that it’s sooooooo easy to fake your identity. That’s why I use my real nickname and last name in the blogosphere, so as not to lose my identity when I read and comment on other blogs.
Andrew adds:
We see something that’s so blatantly wrong but have no guts to acknowledge it. But I guess that can be attributed to the fact that this grand scheme of deception involves a minor, a teenager, a boy who’s basically just coming to grips with himself. When and if his cover is blown by the blogosphere and, God forbid, the media, only he will end up as the major casualty.
Several months ago, someone told me that the author of the kid’s blog wasn’t the kid but the father. I thought it made sense, considering the marketing background of the dad as I was told. I said to myself, “wow sneaky marketing campaign, nice…”. But for the record, there has been no irrefutable evidence that these allegations are true.
This wasn’t new. We’ve read or heard about those Walmart bloggers and YouTube’s phenomenal lonelygirl15. While some failed miserably, others like lonelygirl15 were rewarded even more.
So what makes this one any different? I think it’s because it was closer to home. We have a prodigy blogger in our midst. Bloggers admired the kid and were proud of him only to be disappointed after finally meeting him and talking to him about the subject he’s so passionate about. The inspiration fizzled and we thought we’ve been had. Some of us are not immune to issues of disclosure, transparency and openness to conversation.
But that’s just one side of the story. What about the kid’s story? Well, it’s up to him (or his dad) to stand up to the occasion. Write their story and be heard. That’s what blogging is all about.
Accustomed to the veneer of noise, to the shibboleths of promotion, public relations, and market research, society is suspicious of those who value silence. ~John Lahr
Update:
Dine Racoma shares her take on the issue: If Your Son is Attacked, Defend Him Fast, If You Must
Manuel Viloria does his own investigation: Carl Ocab’s Ghostwriter
More Update:
Spoke to the father, Allan Ocab, on the phone. Will meet with both of them later today so I can independently verify/nullify these allegations. Carl is prepared to take the test/interview to authenticate his authorship of the blog.
Quite a debate.