Herald-Sun switches off reader comments
In response to an apparent uptick in abusive comments, the Durham Herald-Sun has decided to suspend the comment feature on its stories:
Users who would prefer to discuss ideas or content of the news are being drowned out by a few participants who lob insults at their fellow users. The discourse in our comments section is devolving and it's time to pull the plug.
Silencing all readers for the behavior of a few is never a good idea, but to do so in the critical part of an election season makes it even worse. When news outlets cover ads and publish campaign statements, very often the only fact-checking is done by the readers themselves. Shutting that off will leave many important questions unasked.
Being a member-driven site that not only provides a platform for reader participation, but thrives on it, we (of course) find this kind of draconian measure appalling. But that doesn't mean we are immune to the frustration of trying to balance the needs of the many against the (sometimes selfish) desires of the few. But it is an inescapable facet of human nature that makes us want to be heard, lest we become merely part of the herd.
But I would ask a few favors, while I've got your attention. If you find yourself in disagreement with most of the content posted here, please take a long, hard look at what you hope to achieve before engaging in an all-out effort to challenge viewpoints and/or those who hold them. Life is too short for unnecessary and gratuitous conflict, and patience is a virtue that wears thin from continued use.
I would also ask that arguments which have become static or monolithic, with little hope of reconciliation, be viewed as the rash that they are. The desire to scratch may be overwhelming at times, but it ain't healthy.
BlueNC is dedicated to making North Carolina a more progressive and prosperous state. If your intention is to disrupt this effort, please find somewhere else to express your opinions.
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Comments
I see the same people commenting
on every newspaper in the state. Outrageous, slanderous, ridiculous posts that destroy the tone of every single comment thread. Sure would like to know who they are and who is funding them.
It cannot just be some guy in his basement. They must spend all day and night doing it.
"Man is free at the moment he wishes to be." -Voltaire
I've long suspected
Pope & Co. to be behind some of those newspaper anons, as well as some of the contrarians that have piped up here at BlueNC. That may sound paranoid and self-aggrandizing, but just because you're paranoid it doesn't mean they're not out to get you. ;)
After four years of careful watching
I've come to a different conclusion. I don't think the Show has direct influence on the anons ... it's more of a side effect of spending $15 million a year on opinion manufacturing. The whole machine is designed to divide us from one another, to tilt the playing field away from the common good in the direction of "eat or be eaten."
That said, they are out to get you. Their dog whistles blast from scores of columns in weekly rags spread all across the state, as well as on the pages of every major daily.
The Herald Sun, in particular, feeds the crazies with ultra-conservative editorial positions on a regular basis.
It takes work to police a site ... to set up rules ... to ban offenders ... and maybe even prosecute violators. The laws are already on the books.
They've reaped what they've sown ... and now they're looking for an easy out.
Can you say "death spiral?"
Parroted talking points
You're probably right about that, James. I see Civitas-generated propaganda and misleading poll results pop up in comments all the time. The durability of bullshit is amazing.
A solution
I've thought about this before and there are a few solutions I think could work when comment spam/flames get out of hand, in no particular order
* disable anonymous posting, still allow pseudonyms
* require the use of real names
* create an transparent ban - in other words, banning someone doesn't prevent them from posting and seeing their content, it just means no one else sees their posts.
The last one has always been my favorite.
That last thing is
sort of like having an imaginary friend, isn't it?
Actually...it's not like that at all. My analogy machine is acting up again.
Oh! I've got it! It's like a letter to Santa, listing all the things you want...*sigh*. Dammit. I need to get this thing fixed pronto.