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Rogue posters, beware
Published Saturday, January 16, 2010
Steve Stewart
One of the most popular features of our newspaper is our online forums, which allow readers to comment anonymously on news stories that we’ve published.
One of the most complained about features of our newspaper is our online forums, which allow readers to comment anonymously on news stories that we’ve published.
A publisher’s conundrum is to protect the former while forcefully addressing the latter.
The last resort will be to tell the 3,000-plus registered users of www.tidewaternews.com — some thousand of whom post regularly — that the forums are being shut down, though I’m not beyond doing it.
At their best, the forums are a marketplace of ideas where readers interact in a lively but respectful debate about the pressing issues of the day. At their worst, the forums degenerate into a cesspool of juvenile name-calling with all the maturity of a third-grade classroom.
The forums were designed to be self-policing. A “Suggest removal” option on each post gives readers the opportunity to alert site management when a post has crossed the boundaries spelled out in our terms of use for registered users.
Many readers “Suggest removal” of opinions different from their own. That’s not the purpose. When the “Suggest removal” feature is used legitimately on occasion and comments are removed by our staff, offending posters too often don’t take the hint. They simply return to the site and post more garbage.
Because our staff doesn’t have the time to review each post individually, our new strategy will be to simply ban those users who violate the rules.
For those who didn’t read the terms of use when registering or who have forgotten them, here are the relevant parts:
By using this Web site’s user-contribution features, including comments, photo galleries, or any other feature, you agree to abide by the terms of this agreement.
Please read this agreement in its entirety because it contains useful information that will help you better understand the rules and general “good manners” that are expected when contributing content to this Web site.
We want to encourage an open exchange of information and ideas. But if you use inappropriate language (even when typographically obfuscated), or make potentially slanderous or libelous comments when using this site and its features, or engage in ad hominem attacks on fellow commenters, people mentioned in stories or any employee of the newspaper, we reserve the right (but assume no obligation) to remove any and/or all of your contributions. If you become a problem for us or our site’s other users we may ban you from using our services and Web sites.
We believe it is absolutely possible for people from a variety of points of view to discuss issues in a civil manner and will remove comments that foster incivility.
It is important to know that we DO NOT review every contribution made on this Web site. More than likely, you will see user contributions before anyone on staff here does. This may include information and opinions from a variety of individuals and organizations other than official content from this Web site and its staff.
We do not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of any user contribution, regardless of whether it comes from a user, celebrity, “expert,” or other source.
Responsibility for what is posted or contributed to this site is the sole responsibility of each user. By contributing to this Web site, you agree not to post any defamatory, abusive, harassing, obscene, sexual, threatening or illegal material, or any other material that infringes on the ability of others to enjoy this site, or that infringes on the rights of others.
Flagrant violators of these terms will be banned immediately. No warnings. No questions asked.
A banned user is welcome to call or e-mail me to discuss why. On rare occasions, privileges will be restored, if it is determined that the newspaper wrongly banned a user or if the user convinces me that he will play by the rules going forward.
To the hundreds of posters who use the forums correctly, we at the newspaper pledge to do our best to keep them open. To the relatively small number of posters who abuse the privilege, our patience is running thin.
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Comments
Posted by allsites (Matthew (Matt) Peeler) on January 16, 2010 at 11:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I appreciate the forum the TN provides. I can get on my soap box and discuss the OLF in a civil manner. I have learned stuff about the OLF from this forum because of the idea sharing provided. I'm not sure how much information would have been made available without the TN.
I am sure other factors about Western Tidewater have had the opportunity to be discussed because of this forum. A well rounded thought may be expressed in 3,000 charicters. Many papers do not provide close to the opportunity the TN provides for idea sharing.
Thank you TN for this opportuntiy and I look forward to continued sharing of ideas on this site.
I
Posted by Baffled (anonymous) on January 16, 2010 at 1:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Uh, oh. I'm guilty! I'll be good in the future. Apologies to anyone I offended.
Posted by sweetwater (anonymous) on January 16, 2010 at 3:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Baffled, you don't seem to be part of the problem.
I think we all know where most of these vicious and immature posts are coming from, based on the stories that have the most "removed" comments. A recent series of continuing articles and letters on a personnel situation in Franklin seems to have brought out the worst in some people. Some users have had over 1 in 4 of all their comments "removed" and one story has 1 in 5 of all comments "removed"! Some of these posts made accusations using peoples names or identified other posters who wished to remain anonymous. It is like watching a train wreck or Jerry Springer.
Thank you Tidewater News for providing this forum! I promise to be careful with my posts, and thank you for promising to get rid of these nasty folks.
I realize removing some of these people from the forum will make this place less entertaining, but I think there are enough non-offensive "wackos" here to keep things interesting. Whatever you do, please don't start making IQ a qualification for registering! No matter how much you might be tempted. That would be no fun at all.
Thanks again on behalf of ALL us "wackos".
Posted by chuck (anonymous) on January 16, 2010 at 6:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I subscribe to the print edition of the TN, and also read the on-line edition. I think the on-line forums are an integral part of the news and opinion delivery process, and would like to see them continue. I try to learn something from each poster, although it can be difficult at times when things get personal and mean-spirited. Please don't get discouraged, Steve. You're providing a great service to your readers, both in-print and on-line. The Tidewater News has come a long way since my short tenure as a sports writer for Hanes, far too many years ago to remember... You are to be commended for the innovations you have introduced to the newspaper serving the communities along the rivers we call the Blackwater and the Nottoway... :)
Posted by maxdoubt (anonymous) on January 17, 2010 at 3:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by chuck (anonymous) on January 17, 2010 at 11:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
very clever, maxdoubt -- but you forgot the italics... :)
Posted by maxdoubt (anonymous) on January 17, 2010 at 11:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
#@$%^#!
Posted by EXnTurnE (anonymous) on January 17, 2010 at 11:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It is a shame that borderline censorship or "terms of agreement" must be established for a supposed group of educated, experienced, wise, seemingly omniscient (you know who you are), philanthropic, do-good, well-wishers whom if asked, would consider themselves: good, small town, down home, hospitable, well-mannered folk to fail miserably in practicing moderation, tact, and in general regulate their incessant bickering, unwarranted criticism and plain ol' whining! I applaud Tidewater News for serving as a reminder of our First Amendment Rights whilst simultaneously providing a welcome visitor on my laptop and a very good laugh! Perhaps print edition circulation would experience substantial growth if some of these commentary gems provided by our local citizen journalist were actually published. To those who hide behind the anonymity of their screen moniker, it's not hard to imagine who's who. . . it's actually pretty obvious.To all the grammatically challenged. . . spell check is the red line under diss word. First Amendment kicks booty and takes names. Keep on rockin' in the free world TN dot-comers.
Posted by grantsara83 (anonymous) on January 17, 2010 at 12:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"wackcos" er no, misguided in some cases, yes. Let us not sink to just being mindless boosters, for the sake of being polical correct. Bad leaders, and bad projects both need to be acknowledged, and commented on. Sad.
Posted by Baffled (anonymous) on January 17, 2010 at 3:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
ExnTurnE, the comment about hiding behind the anonimity of our screen monikers, I don't believe anyone knows who most of us are, unless we tell or tell something about ourselves that others know. We do this for a reason. If you express your opinion in public for everyone to read and hear, it is the nature of the beast to try to continue the debate at the grocery story, Walmart, whereever. Judging by some of the comments on this site, I'd rather not have to deal with the idiocy while I'm pumping gas or something. I'm not ashamed of my opinions, I merely do not choose to discuss them unless I want to discuss them.
Posted by got2bkidn (anonymous) on January 17, 2010 at 6:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow. Whatever happened to freedom of speech and expression? Nevermind...just remembered who our president currently is. :)
Posted by chuck (anonymous) on January 17, 2010 at 7:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
ExnTurnE, the letters and opinions page of the print edition occasionally includes selected comments from the online forums.
Posted by sweetwater (anonymous) on January 19, 2010 at 3:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh! I stand by my wacko comment. I of course do not mean you grantsara. You are included in the "misguided" category. :)
The wackos came out for the bank robbery story and a few others. I saw some of those posts before they were removed and ohhhhhh boy......wacko! ( and in an ugly way too)
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