Clandestine Communication: The necessary evil of up-and-coming media outlets.

I like Craig’s List. I go there just to read the Rants and Raves section. It’s often hilarious but there are too often messages that complain about “flagging.”

Flagging occurs when you post a free classified ad on CraigsList.com and later, someone else finds your ad not to their liking so they click on a link to notify Craigslist.com that your ad is somehow offensive.

Normally, for a post to be flagged, it must be extraordinarily offensive. Most people who browse Craigslist.com are hardened by offensive online material anyway so why a few words would be taken as offensive there is kind of surprising to me.

The conspiracy theory is that the competition with Craigslist.com is the local mass media, television, radio, newspapers, magazines, etc. But the entire Internet is competing with the local mass media anyway. The only difference is that Craigslist.com offers free classified ads.

In “Rants & Raves” on Craigslist.com, there aren’t many complaints about posts getting flagged, but it’s a juicy conspiracy theory so I thought I would look into it.

I did a quick search for the word “flag” in the “Rants & Raves” section and found only seven posts. Most of them were critics of those who complained about the flagging. All posts are automatically removed after thirty days, so seven in thirty days is not many.

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RE: who's flagging.... (Chatham)
Date: 2009-01-01, 6:16PM CST

Actually I think it could be the daily newspaper that is partially to blame for all the flagging. Heard they might have to claim bankruptcy and fold so I can see why they would not like CL.

* Location: Chatham
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RE;Whos flagging (United States)
Date: 2009-01-01, 5:29PM CST

The newspaper? That is the dumbest thing i have ever heard ,next you will say its the car lots and sears ,walmarts or even the goverment . goofy stupid.

* Location: United States
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Re: who's flagging ? (Spfld.)
Date: 2009-01-01, 3:46PM CST

One of the flaggers is your local daily newspaper and your weekly shopper. They do not want cl around cause you can advertise here for free and it is cutting into their business. I will never buy another newspaper again.

* Location: Spfld.
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Flagger (Local)
Date: 2008-12-12, 9:14AM CST

I highly doubt the local paper is sitting at there decks flagging everyones post does that really sound likely! It's probably Tom from myspace DUUHH!!!

* Location: Local
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Flaggers (CHI- Town)
Date: 2008-12-12, 8:40AM CST

I heard from my uncles, cousins, landscaper's dog walker that he knew a guy that took a tour of the capital once, and that guy swears it's Blago doing all the flagging. He's trying to take some of our focus off of him! Remember I got this info from the highest source so it must be true!

Someone NEEDS to flag all the websites pretending to be single women.

* Location: CHI- Town
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I figured it was the local news paper........... (Spfild.)
Date: 2008-12-11, 10:09PM CST

I kind of had a clue it was the local paper that was flagging on here to disrupt cl.

* Location: Spfild.
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The flaggers are the people at the local daily news paper (Spfld, Il.)
Date: 2008-12-11, 9:09PM CST

The folks at the only local daily newspaper in Springfield and also the oldest Shopper newspaper in Springfield are the ones who are flagging all the ads on here. They are losing money daily and will probably have to file for bankruptcy soon so they are trying to shut down the competition to save their asses. My cousin worked there and thats how I know who it is thats causing all the problems on here.

* Location: Spfld, Il.

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As rare an appearance as they make, these posts make sense for three reasons. First, it literally takes only a few seconds to search for posts and then flag them to be removed, even just for the fun of it. Second, the classified ad posts do represent a considerable loss of revenue for the old mass media. Finally, the ads that are flagged are nothing more than small items for sale. The ads have nothing offensive in them.

Logically, the culprit is someone with a vested interest in undermining the public’s attempt to sell things on a forum that doesn’t charge anything.

Here’s where the conspiracy will get really juicy.

Let’s say that you’re not just a citizen selling a few items in the attic, but you are an actual business. You decide that you want to attract young Craigslist hipsters (I say that with all due respect). So you advertise on Craigslist. What would happen if you were once a client of the newspaper?

Would you stop getting calls from the newspaper? Would you suddenly find yourself or your business the subject of vicious rumors?

I worked with ad sales people for nearly a decade; many of them were pigeon-holed into selling ads for one client rather than acting as independent ad consultants. Being cornered like that can make someone vindictive and conniving. One need only Google the words “pharmaceutical accusations” to get a good picture.

Craigslist.com may not be the only target of vindictiveness. I discovered recently that the Sangamon Star (http://www.sangstar.com) is back in print. While on the forum of a local radio talk-show host I posted the news about it and was later notified that I was a spammer. A Spammer is someone who repeatedly posts ads for work-at-homers or counterfeit drugs. I post my opinions.

A little research would have told the moderator that the Sangamon Star is an underdog, an up-and-coming independent pub that deserves a shot. Either the moderator was operating on a company directive, or didn’t like the idea of a message about another media outlet on his message board. MFB-MA-WTF!

So, medium and large businesses local or not, will probably not advertise on CraigsList.com, SangStar.com, or SPFLD.net for fear of reprisals. The old mega news outlets have reports and researchers capable of digging up all manner of dirt and scandal on their advertising clients, but they don’t report it because they are commonly referred to in journalism circles as “Golden Calves.” Untouchable because they are a source of income.

I never asked for any ads locally, they just show up on my Google Ad Sense which I am about ready to pull because the “click-through traffic” philosophy is proving itself to be totally bogus.

Up-and-coming Internet (new) media outlets and publications must rely on their friends for support. They may have day-job employers who are threatened by media outlets for having them as employees. Even bloggers may have gotten “laid off” not because of cutbacks, but because they regularly publish opinions that don’t mesh with the clients of their employers.

This is the taint on freedom of speech. The truth will set you free alright; it will put you down on the street with your hat in your hand.

One solution is a coded post subscription. You subscribe to coded posts you can only read by deciphering them with a key you receive in your email.

Another solution is to just let the chips fall where they may and gather in a force to defend your right to free speech.