Locked out of Today.com Forums?
>> Sunday, April 19, 2009
Here's the text of the message Today.com posted about
Forum & Blog Posting Guidelines Regarding Rate Changes and Performance
We know that it is the nature of the business for there to be controversy whenever rates are dropped. We've said before and wil say again, it is not something we take lightly and it is a business decision based on a blogs[sic] performance . We understand the disappointmnet and as many respect our decisions, we also respect anyone's decision if they decide to leave Today.com.
However, we are trying to maintain a certain level of professionalism in the forum and find that repeated requests to users to contact support in regards to payment or personal matters go unheeded.
As such we will reiterate that any matter of a personal nature regarding your blogs pay structure or changes in pay should be communicated to support@today.com.
Posts of a nature that are negative and posted to inflame the Today.com blogging community out of spite will be removed and account priviledges will be revoked and the user will be out of the program forfeiting any earnings to date.
Disgruntled bloggers who wish to leave the program should do so by contacting support@today.com. We ask that you do not aggravate the situation by posting a negative post on your blog, or a redirect to another blog exclaiming that you are leaving Today.com. Such posts will be removed and will afect the close of your account. Deleting posts pending review will also affect your account balance and the close of your account.
Bloggers who've broken these rules to date will be contacted by Support after audits have been run on the blogs affected by rate changes.
We are sorry to have to go this route and apologize to all the member who participate in the forum, following the rule and engaging in positive communication with other bloggers and staff. We hope to minimize the disruption so that the forum is as much an enjoyable place to be as is blogging.
We that all for their consideration in this matter and will work with anybody who contacts support in an appropriate manner regarding any issues they are having blogging with Today.com
Note that the message was posted AFTER they locked bunches of us out for our negative attitudes, not before.
Also, most of us got axed not for "defaming" Today.com publically, but rather for questioning or drawing attention to their false advertising or in any way objecting to anything they did.
Me, I got tossed for going into my blog and changing links in my blogrolls to reflect the new locations of other exiled bloggers... it was the "official letter" that others - including Stephanie the Rocket Scientist got that tipped me over the edge. When she told me about her email, I started updating links ...and before you know it, had a personalized error message, several posts and most of my widgets wiped out, and an official Today.com email of my own.
I'm also IP banned from the forums - but if there were anything else interesting in there, I'd be happy to post it - unfortunately, people are ruining all my fun by not posting in the forums much right now. Presumably those who remain are trying to keep their heads out of the line of fire long enough to collect what is owing to them.
That's so crazy!
I didn't do any of this, all I did was say that we couldn't use Entrecard and question this in the forum....they are quite touchy, huh?
~Kelly
30somethingandsearching.blogspot.com
clearly Dave is, for sure
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What a load of, well, you know and it don't smell good.
Telling people you're leaving ("We ask that you do not aggravate the situation by posting a negative post on your blog, or a redirect to another blog exclaiming that you are leaving Today.com.") - that's common courtesy and to delete such posts is pure and simple vindictive pettiness.
You're welcome to go unless you tell anyone you're going.
This kind of BS might work in a world where there are no other outlets, but it's craptastically stupid in a world where anyone can set up a blog for free in minutes. Did they think we'd say, "They've shut me out - oh, no, what will I do? I have NO OTHER OUTLETS in the world other than my Today.com blog!"
Yeah, right. This is the internet.
Dummies.
I am so sad for you all. Most of my favorite bloggers have left or been kicked off. I am not sure why I have not been I have asked tons of questions about pay. I am guessing it is because they don't pay me much and every time Improve they pay me less. I have not made it to 50 dollars in the five months I have been blogging. So I guess I am not a threat to their pocket book.
that seems to be a key difference... they are clearly in grave financial difficulty, but too stubborn to throw in the towel
it is sad... Steph & I were talking they other day about how things might have been different if rather than this harsh and punitive approach - and the lying and misleading and all that ~fun~ stuff - they had posted a message in the forums explaining the problem and asking bloggers for their input as to solutions.
I bet there would have been an entirely different outcome.
Hey Flit, just adding your new site to my new blogroll - feel free to add my site to yours if you're so inclined. :-) I'm at http://www.nonfictionbookreview.com now.
Hugs!
Hava
You were already there...also put you in my fiction site blogroll
Oh, that is really dirty. I saw *part* of this message in there before I got booted, but since I didn't think anyone was being "spiteful", I figured it didn't apply. I mean, I figured they were going to delete "Today.com SUCKS!" posts, not legitimate discussions.
But that end bit, about clearing out posts or posting redirects would "affect your account"? They added that LATER. And that is pure ruling by tyranny.
What shocked me was that despite the panic/furor over the pay cuts, that was one of THE most civil threads I'd eve seen over such an issue. If they'd handled it like adults, they might have actually gotten some *help* from us. Instead they just decided to wipe us from existence.
I still can not get over the way that Today.com is handling this whole thing!! Crazy!!
I agree with you all and love your new blogs. Glad I found all us disgruntled vindictive sorts!Thanxs Flit, if it was not for twitter, I would still be looking for all of you.
New blog is at http://readworthynews.wordpress.com I have not been there because it's hectic with Canadian tax deadline next week, but be assured I will write everyday, add entrecard, and all of you will be on my blogroll.
~Brad
well I was mislead in a whole different area by them They have a TON of biz names they go by and have alot to do with the "adult" industry..they are cyberfuse technologies,aka today.com aka BFY .com, aka 81 big oak rd., aka cat, aka 613 ad agency aka BACKLINX, aka ADULTPLEX (these last 2 porn sites)..They hire people, or try to anyway ,without telling them they are involved in the adult industry and wait for you to quit your job, then disclose it..willfully withholding that information..Most people would NEVER want their name attached to a company that deals in pornography. So they offer you this job, WAIT until you quit then slap papers in front of you to sign once they know you have no other job to fall back on..They are a tiny office of 4 people, 6 if you included dave sichels (owners) nephews. I have never seen such UNprofessionalism in all my life..They are shady as all get out, decide to go back on deals whenever they feel like it..Dave lets his; and mark HIS words to me and I quote "she is the bitch for me" Sherry Lamelza do all his under handed work..by changing everything that was agreed upon. So obviosly when dealing in a shady industry, the people are shady. They have no consideration for anyone other than their needs at the moment..They are located in morrisville pa at 81 big oak rd. suite ..I am amazed that they pardon the pun "screwed" all these people and no one can actaully contact them..Let me know if you'd like their phone number or the latest scam and i mean scam is bfy.com.. log on to that site, their phone number is there. they are the same company...who knows how many other names they go by..those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head..