Recently the issue of posting "anonymous" comments here was brought up by a few people, including Thom Page who posted his thoughts:
Kevin: Time to raise all of your blog to the next editorial level.
The comments section will gain great integrity by abolishing "anonymous" entries. Being held accountable is the time-honored rule for insuring truthfulness and weeding out "trash". You live or die on the truth when publishing your articles, and should expect more from your commenters.
Bruce Rubenstein and I both strongly advocated for this with Cityline earlier this year.
Anonymous entries may be titillating, but watch comment quality skyrocket when authors are identified. Afterall, "We The People" entries have such credibility, in part, because your name is attahced to them.
Make ALL of your blog first class.
Food for thought.
For me it is a tough call because I think many posters who put their comments up here would fear for their jobs or other reasons if their names were associated with their comments. For the most part, I think the comments posted here, even if anonymously, have remained civil and pretty much respond to the topic.
Apparently Colin McEnroe of the Courant and WNPR radio is also looking at the issue. Here are his postings on his blog and a couple interesting links with more info.
Click here to read Colin McEnroe's blog
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8 comments:
Kevin
As much as I would love to put my name to a post, I wouldn't feel completely free to speak my mind. Living in Hartford I've seen first hand how criticism of govt. and the HPD can come back to bite you. In a perfect world,taking ownership of posts would be the right thing to do, but in the real world (especially Hartford),it would discourage posters to completely and honestly voice their opinions.
Joe,
If you can't take the heat with HPD, don't play in the kitchen.
This anonymity business was a constant battle I used to fight at CTLP. I am in full agreement with Thom and Bruce.
If you can't own your thoughts, then they are not worth having.
On Oct. 31, 1687, Hartford forefather John Wadsworth allegedly spoke these words before the King's representative, Gov. Andros, in Moses Butler's tavern in this fair city:
"A great wrong is being done us and the black looks of your associates shall not deter me from saying so in your presence. Every man in this Colony has faced death too often to hesitate when called upon to express his opinions."
Your opinion means nothing without your identity.
Kevin,
This is something you'll be dealing with as you try to segue to a separate blog server as well. I had suggested a Word Press model only due to the relative ease in posting and updating. It also has a couple features that allow you to deal well with comments. People can still make anonymous comments.
I think at the end of the day we should realize that the anonymous comment is never going to go away. Look at the "Willie Nuñez" character or a couple other "people" who post under a name that is most like not theirs (not just here...but on Cityline, IonHartford, etc...)
All you can do as an administrator is be diligent in having your own internal rules of editing which, eventually, will reveal itself within the read of the blog as it grows and grows.
It is at that time that people will decide whether or not to remain readers. But I don't think you'll lose alot of readers due to rampant anonymous comments...it's kinda entertaining. The benefit to your blog is the fact that you're speaking about things in the city that not alot of people are paying attention to. Remember, a blog's main importance is in the original material, NOT the comments. When was the last time you went to Huffington Post and read the 100s or 1000s of comments on any given post. (Which reminds me, Ken on his 40yearplan blog doesn't allow comments of any kind)
By the way, I would slightly disagree with Thom regarding any sudden transformation in repartee amongst the comments if you force name-only comments. The Hartford Courant went to a subscription only method of posting comments and their comments are just as xenophobic, Anti Hartford, racist, etc... as they ever were.
By the way...there is one main problem with the way Blogger deals with comments. They post them automatically (as shown by the post I just made)
What if you're on vacation and not able to check your blog. People can come on and post random crap all over the blog and you would have no control over that.
You should goto a server which allows you the ability to approve each and every comment (anonymous or not) That way, under above example, you come back from your hang out at the renaissance fair where you played the role of Thundar the two headed golem with a +20 two handed sword and you have X amount of comments to approve.
I don't allow comments on my blog for a number of reasons, among them
a - Lack of time/money to confirm the fact that people are who they say they are.
b - There is no technology that can handle this task adequately or efficiently. I do not publish anonymous remarks.
c - I have an open letters to the editor policy and will gladly publish any letter or email that is sent me provided I can verify the identity of the author.
I understand that in the new media world, people want to write comments. However, the way I have positioned my website, I do not necessarily feel the need at this point to include a comments section.
Perhaps in a post-law school future...
OMG, do these posters live in the same USA that I do??? Is free speech not protected under the constitution??? Is it illegal now for folks to use a nom de plum??? If my memory serves me correct, there were/are many great authors in this country and in others who use a pseudonym when they write, whether it be fiction or non fiction. I suggest you all visit the Mark Twain House (I mean Samuel Clemens) here in Hartford.
Sincerely anonymously yours,
Edu Cada.
Here's a rhetorical question: Why do local, state and federal crime investigation agencies have ANONYMOUS tip lines?
There's many reasons people choose to post anonymously. How does placing a name to an opinion or thought make it any less or more valid?
When someone tips off the cops about a crime and they refuse to leave their name should that suddenly be considered worthless information? (Kevin does get tips here)
When authors write books under pseudo names should they never be read?
Not to mention how easy it is to "validate" a fake email or name anyway.
Let's not forget slapping your name on a message doesn't mean it's true or not twisted. (Pretty much all of main stream media twists information now)
It's up to each reader to make their own judgment on a post. If the poster wants to be anonymous you can factor that into your judgment.
I think Council Member Cotto's recommendation of approving messages first is very good. The idea of someone posting something inappropriate is an entirely different animal and should be addressed.
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