Good morning /deepfreeze/.
I've got a weirdo idea, as usual I'd appreciate some peer-review, if you can, before I make an ass of myself.
Basically, based on both suggestions of "dealing with apologies" etc and on my thoughts, I've cooked up some possible ways to deal — emblem modifiers.
Assume the graphical look is similar to the one seen here.
Not
Score: 0.
Prefix: Not.
It's the stuff I already file as Trivia, basically just putting it as, e.g., "non collusion" to be more informative.
Examples:
False information worth debunking
http://deepfreeze.it/journo.php?j=nathan_grayson
Often accused of plagiarism because one article of his directly copies text from a French one. However, the original plagiarism was by the author of the Imgur post that Grayson quoted as source.
Deemed fully solved
http://deepfreeze.it/journo.php?j=james_fudge
Published an article on the false Brad Wardell accusations, although he offered a thorough apology after new information surfaced.
Deemed (at least probably) not an issue
http://deepfreeze.it/journo.php?j=alexa_ray_corriea
Member of GameJournoPros. Not proven to have been active in the list.
Patched
Score: 1.
Prefix: Partially solved.
Disclosure added later, or an apology at least partially admitting guilt (key element, so no "I was misunderstood" shit) was issued by emblem subject or responsible. Basically, still notable, but should be distinguished from the people who didn't apologize or do anything.
I have agency to decide an apology is not worth labeling this way (e.g. issued much too late), although it'll still be noting it in the emblem none the less.
This emblems are still scored, though they may be used in the future to add, e.g., a label to journalists that have solved all issues.
While the site would only show "patched" or "unpatched", but emblems would have a third status — "not appliable" — for stuff that wouldn't be possible to apologize for.
Examples:
Disclosure
http://deepfreeze.it/journo.php?j=laura_kate_dale
Gave coverage, on Indiehaven, to Louise James without disclosing that James was financially supporting both her and Indiehaven on Patreon.
(Haven't updated this entry yet, but Dale added disclosure and explained to me why she didn't do it originally)
Apology
http://deepfreeze.it/journo.php?j=patricia_hernandez
Wrote the perhaps most famous article on the Max Temkin accusations, where she claimed Temkin ”spent too much time defending himself, and not enough time contemplating the idea that he might‘ve messed up“. Article was later amended, and Kotaku admitted it was a misfire.
Subjective
Score: 1.
Prefix: Possible (as opposed to a normal emblem's "probable").
Either assigned for a stance (anti-consumer, pro-censorship etc.) rather than for proven misbehavior or more subjective than other emblems. Still scored as normal, but would (pending technical implementation) allow filtering, so one can see a separate score without counting these. Can coexist with Patched.
Would be assigned to GJP emblems as well.
Examples:
http://deepfreeze.it/journo.php?j=kirk_hamilton
Wrote an article of praise for Diablo 3's contested DRM while his site was running a massive Diablo 3 ad campaign. He did backtrack two years later, after Diablo 3's developers had dropped the DRM themselves.
http://deepfreeze.it/journo.php?j=arthur_gies
Spends a large chunk of his Witcher 3 review complaining about its "oppressively misogynist" world and lack of "a single non-white humanoid". The large amount of controversy incited by this review has an appearence of being manufactured and being incited for clicks.
Eager to hear your thoughs, both on the idea and on the implementation.
Remember that DeepFreeze applies to all journalists, not just shitheads. I'm about to file Nosh's EiC for plagiarism, for example — would be nice to have the "Patched" label there.