Comment policy
Elsewhere in Blogland (Blogdom, Blogovia, Blogostan, etc., take your pick) or at least that part of the Country of Blog I visit, the debate of freedom of speech and how far can you go in saying mean or threatening things to someone in a comments war has resurfaced. I've already given my opinion on the matter, and although several have told me that the right to free speech is meant to limit government censorship, not to keep people from lying about each other, I think my earlier post still makes my point in the debate.
Some other citizens of the Country of Blog have found it necessary to post a comment policy for their blogs. Understandably. I have seen the flame wars of Usenet make their way into comments of people's blogs. Same nastiness, same off-topic and personal attacks. And in some cases, same altering of the original comment.
But one reason is because the blog owner lets it happen. And why? Well, maybe because they want everyone to like them, or they have sworn in the nude while sitting on a stack of pineapples never, ever to delete a comment.
Bah to that. I still frequent Usenet. I'm used to flame wars and I've seen people driven off a newsgroup and into therapy, and I've seen people rally around and protect those who couldn't protect themselves from a vicious attacker. And in some cases, moderated groups were formed. And that means finding moderators. A "job" that has a high turnover.
To moderate a Usenet group you have to like rules, know how to use them, and be willing to enforce them. You cannot get upset when the writer of a banned post chooses to say the vilest things about you in another newsgroup or in e-mail to you. You cannot be the sort that worries about being liked. Your job is to protect fair and friendly discussion. You certainly can't whine on the moderated group about off-group attacks from the poster who didn't like getting his post rejected because he put another poster's name in the Subject.
Moderating Usenet groups is not for the faint-hearted or for those with misguided ideas of what's fair ("But so-and-so wasn't mean to me!"). Not if you want to keep everyone focused on reasonable, preferably on-topic discourse.
So here is my comment policy: I used to moderate a Usenet group.
Comments
That seems to be the case a lot of the time.
"Not if you want to keep everyone focused on reasonable, preferably on-topic discourse."
Frankly, I don't see why people get their panties in a wad about a discussion going "off-topic". Certainly if that is the blog administrator's desire, it is their job to step in from time to time and steer the discussion. It certainly isn't their guests' job to do so in a situation where a commenter has allegedly strayed from the topic.
I have yet to be involved in a real life discussion that didn't ebb and flow and wend its way through numerous changes of topic.
As far as altering comments, if it deters certain people from commenting further, I'm with Nancy on that score:
"I also reserve the right to edit it. Change it. Alter it. Turn it into something other than what the commenter intended. I won't be doing this to most comments. There is a specfic sub-class of comments to which this applies. Those who repeatedly offend me are targets. I go into detail about what offends me, below. If you're worried about this, then maybe you should think twice about leaving a comment I probably will not like."
My blog, my rules. If someone doesn't like it, they don't have to read it. It's really that simple.
And because, quite simply, IT WORKS.
As for comparing conversations in real life to what goes on in comments, well, I refer readers to the link in the post above. They aren't the same. Face-to-face (even phone-to-phone) is not the same as computer-to-computer.
Not sure what the difference is between c to c and real life when there are real people involved in both, something many seem to forget.
Keera, you can delete comments when you're signed in to blogger - all you'd have to do is look at the comments, and you should see a little trash can icon at the bottom of each comment.
I can see that here, on *my* comments, for instance if I think the better of something I've written, or there are too many typos etc.
But as far as editing comments, you've got me there. I don't think you can do this w/blogger.
FTR, I do not believe the end justifies the means. Or to put it another way: That has to be the last resort.
Sravana, it does get people's backs up and everyone thinks their way of doing something is the right way. Nothing stirs a discussion like discussing what can be posted (just like Usenet).
I have deleted comments, mine and others. And I've just confirmed via Blogger's help discussion group that editing posted comments isn't possible.
"Or to put it another way: That has to be the last resort."
BINGO.
And, Keera, we're discussing blogs, not the Encyclopaedia Britannica.
So I respectfully agree to disagree.
:o)>
Remind me to never read your blog.
It's clearly posted in my sidebar, so I don't think there's an ethics question whatsoever.
And war is stupid.
Otherwise: I always thought you'd be a good mod, and can I spot 'em or what?
On the other point: war is stupid and evil and immoral, so you only fight when you have to, and then you fight to win and get it over with.
m, this eternal war for eternal peace BS sucks
m, that was cool
It's not really about the content - that's a smokescreen. It's about not liking the person or people commenting.