Boing Boing: A Digital Chronicle

🕰️ Zine Era: The Neurozine

Originally titled "bOING bOING," the zine was launched in 1988 by the married couple Mark Frauenfelder and Carla Sinclair. It carried the evocative subtitle "The World's Greatest Neurozine," reflecting its focus on technology, counterculture, and the fringes of digital thought. With associate editors including Gareth Branwyn and David Pescovitz, it played a pivotal role alongside publications like *Mondo 2000* in shaping the cyberpunk subculture. The zine achieved a peak circulation of 17,500 copies before its final issue, #15, marked the end of its print run.^[5]

💻 Digital Transformation

The transition to a digital format began with the establishment of a website in 1995, becoming an exclusively web-based publication by 1996.^[7][5] A significant milestone occurred on January 21, 2000, when Frauenfelder relaunched Boing Boing as a weblog, utilizing the then-emerging Blogger software. This move solidified its presence in the burgeoning blogosphere and set the stage for its future growth and influence.^[5]

🗣️ Evolution of Engagement

The site's approach to user interaction has evolved considerably. In September 2003, Boing Boing controversially removed its Quicktopics user-comment feature, leading to speculation about issues with "identity impersonators and idiot flamers."^[9] Comments were later restored in August 2007 with moderation by Teresa Nielsen Hayden. By 2013, the platform transitioned from the proprietary Disqus system to Discourse, an open-source internet forum, demonstrating a commitment to community and technological adaptation.^[11]

🏢 Expanding Digital Footprint

In 2004, the project formally incorporated as Happy Mutants LLC, signaling a more structured approach to its operations. John Battelle joined as the blog's business manager, contributing to its commercial development. By the mid-2000s, Boing Boing had solidified its position as one of the most widely read and linked-to blogs globally. The introduction of advertising in late 2004, including within its RSS feed, marked a strategic move towards generating revenue, with initial quarterly incomes reaching $27,000.^{[12][13][5][14]}

🎮 Specialized Verticals

Boing Boing expanded its content offerings through specialized companion sites. In August 2007, "Boing Boing Gadgets" was launched, initially led by former *Gizmodo* editor Joel Johnson, and later by Rob Beschizza. This site focused on consumer electronics and technological innovations. In November 2008, "Offworld" was introduced, a blog dedicated to video games, edited by Brandon Boyer. These specialized platforms were eventually integrated back into the main Boing Boing site around 2010, though plans to revive Offworld with new editors were announced in 2015.^{[30][31][32][33][34]}

📺 Boing Boing TV

Further diversifying its media presence, Boing Boing launched "Boing Boing TV" in October 2007. This component featured video segments, including the popular "SPAMasterpiece Theater" with John Hodgman, produced in collaboration with DECA (Digital Entertainment Corporation of America). The art tech group monochrom was a frequent contributor, creating their distinctive sock puppet series "Kiki and Bubu" for the platform. These video episodes were made available online and were even featured on Virgin America flights, extending Boing Boing's reach into new media consumption channels.^[35][36][37]

🤐 Advocacy and Practice

Boing Boing has consistently positioned itself as an "outspoken critic of censorship elsewhere," advocating for open internet principles. This commitment is further demonstrated by its operation of a high-speed, high-quality Tor exit node, contributing to internet anonymity and freedom. However, the site has also employed its own unique moderation techniques, reflecting the complexities of managing online communities and content.^[38][39]

✂️ Disemvoweling

A distinctive moderation practice popularized by Boing Boing is "disemvoweling." This technique involves literally stripping out the vowels from comments that a moderator deemed objectionable or inappropriate. The intent was to render the comment unreadable or unintelligible without outright deleting it, serving as a form of editorial intervention while preserving the original comment's presence, albeit in a modified form.^[40][41]

🦄 The Unicorn Chaser

The "unicorn chaser" is a practice initiated by Boing Boing editors as an "antidote" to posts linking to sites containing disturbing or shocking images. Following such a post, a subsequent entry would feature a picture of a unicorn, intended to provide a visually pleasant contrast and alleviate the impact of the preceding content. This concept originated in August 2003, with Xeni Jardin posting the first "Unicorn Moment." The idea gained such traction that Virgin America even named one of its Airbus A320 aircraft "Unicorn Chaser" at Boing Boing's suggestion.^[27][28][29]

💔 Violet Blue Controversy

In June 2008, a significant controversy erupted when sex blogger Violet Blue alleged that all posts related to her had been deleted from Boing Boing without explanation. This action drew criticism, particularly given Boing Boing's self-proclaimed commitment to "cultural openness." The site issued a brief statement citing that "Violet behaved in a way that made us reconsider whether we wanted to lend her any credibility or associate with her," but declined to elaborate publicly. This incident sparked heated debate among commenters and in other media outlets, highlighting the complexities of editorial discretion and transparency in online publishing.^{[42][43][44][45][46][47][48]}

🚪 Cory Doctorow's Departure

In January 2020, Cory Doctorow, a long-standing and influential editor, departed from Boing Boing to launch his solo blogging project, *Pluralistic*. The circumstances surrounding his exit were initially unclear, though Doctorow confirmed his continued co-ownership of the site. His departure, after a 19-year association, was likened by MetaFilter to "the equivalent of the Beatles breaking up" for the blog world, underscoring his significant impact. Boing Boing itself did not publicly acknowledge his departure, with his name quietly removed from the list of editors on January 29, 2020.^[24][25][26]

📜 References