Blogging Code of Conduct: Netiquette Rebadged? Have I missed something? Where did all this talk about the need for a Blogging Code of Conduct come from? While O'Reilly certainly has a point, the hullabaloo he has created is pretty astonishing (even the Guardian newspaper devoted its editorial to discussing the implications of his remarks). Yet, from a website management point of view there is nothing new in his comments. Any site that is host to a public discussion forum (whether based on a blog or not) should already have a set of published rules about what constitutes acceptable online behaviour. This idea has been in place since the very dawn of the web. Remember 'netiquette', i.e. 'etiquette for the internet? So, let's calm down people! O'Reilly's comments do no more than remind us of our existing duties.