Creating Passionate Users Guru Cancels Due to Attacks

Kathy Sierra, a usability guru and phenomenal communicator, was forced to cancel her presentations at eTech because of threats against her personally in the blogosphere.

First and foremost - our thoughts and prayers are with you Kathy on a quick and just resolution.

From Kathy's blog post (please click through and read the whole thing)

Death threats against bloggers are NOT "protected speech" (why I cancelled my ETech presentations)

As I type this, I am supposed to be in San Diego, delivering a workshop at the ETech conference. But I'm not. I'm at home, with the doors locked, terrified. For the last four weeks, I've been getting death threat comments on this blog. But that's not what pushed me over the edge. What finally did it was some disturbing threats of violence and sex posted on two other blogs... blogs authored and/or owned by a group that includes prominent bloggers.

These are not your normal attacks, there are actual death threats. It is one thing for someone to do a nasty blog post, it is another for a human to tip the scales to the really insane side. In this case, the attackers are certifiable. And unfortunately they are hurting Kathy. And the community.

I do not have the skills to articulate a next set of steps. And the Tech community rallying trying to find Jim Gray was not successful. Hopefully this time with log files and research, we will be able to nail the bastards with criminal charges. Some things are definitely not free speech. And this is one of those times.

Now lets see if those blogs, most of which are now shut down, cooperate turning over their log files. Please may common sense rule the day.

I am at eTech as I type this so I'll update if I hear anything. This is beyond crisis comm, this is criminal activity that must be stopped.

Comments

[Joey]

There was no threat made to Kathy. The entire thing is a misunderstanding or an intentional hoax which stems from my criticism of her books. I am the "Joey" she is referring to and I ask that you read my reply at her site; assuming she doesn't delete it.

[eschipul]

Joey - I read your comments. You don't seem to grasp that words matter. Exactness of speech matters.

You are harping on one or two phrases, perhaps out of context, while ignoring violent images? And trying to turn yourself into a victim here? Oh please.

Perception is reality. YOU made another human feel threatened. If that was your intention or not is beside the point. Apologize fully, come clean fully, move on.

Do it for the right reasons.

Or do it for the wrong reasons given they have your IP address and your full identity will come out soon enough.

[Ron E.]

Hello,

In trying to express my rage and unrest towards these violent events made to Kathy, I created a small graphic called "Zero Violence Blog". I've posted it in my blog hoping people will download the images and include them in a small post relating to freedom of speech, and expressing the support Kathy must be needing today. If you feel like doing so, please head there or ask me and I will e-mail the logos directly to you.

I hope you are moved enough as to try to express yourselves and do something now, before violence spreads wider into our blogging lives.

Thanks,
Ron E.

http://brandcurve.com/zero-violence-blog/

[Erica]

I'm glad that we're not tolerating this kind of behavior in the blogosphere -- and I second Ron's idea of spreading a message of non-violence.

But more than anything -- I think we need to change our focus -- and instead of being angry -- focus on everything that Kathy has done for our community, past & present. Good can triumph over Evil ;)