Robin Hamman at cybersoc.com has an interesting video interview with Dominic Sparkes of Tempero, a UK-based company that provides specialist moderation for social media - including message boards, blogs, commenting, social networking sites and other user generated content. Watch the video for an insight into the editorial and legal issues involved in online moderation.

By way of cybersoc.com, I recently came across The BBC’s Fifteen Web Principles – a list of principles developed for the BBC 2.0 project. Although it’s in draft format, the list has been signed off by the BBC board.

Robin Hamman at cybersoc.com has posted about the items on the list that most interest him, and I thought I’d do the same. I think the following points are useful guidelines for any website development or redevelopment project, not just those which want to be ”web 2.0”:

• Number 2: The very best websites do one thing really, really well: do less, but execute perfectly.
• Number 3: Do not attempt to do everything yourselves: link to other high-quality sites instead. Your users will thank you. Use other people’s content and tools to enhance your site, and vice versa.
• Number 6: The web is a conversation. Join in: Adopt a relaxed, conversational tone. Admit your mistakes.
• Number 7: Any website is only as good as its worst page: Ensure best practice editorial processes are adopted and adhered to.
• Number 8: Make sure all your content can be linked to, forever.
• Number 12: Accessibility is not an optional extra: Sites designed that way from the ground up work better for all users.

Roger Johansson of 456 Berea Street talks a lot of sense when it comes to issues of web standards, accessibility and usability. In Click here and other meaningless link phrases he provides some sound advice on writing good link text.

Link text should provide a meaningful description of where the link goes to, or what action will take place when clicking on the link. So, no more peppering your webpage with ”click here” – next time you create a link on your website or blog, stop to think about whether the words you’re using are doing the best job possible.