Sunday, February 13, 2011

How to Make sure Your Comment is Not Published

Many of you have written that I should be more generous in publishing comments, even if they are outrageous.
Obviously, when one sees the message "This comment removed a by blog administrator" it's a bit frustrating and it gets one wondering as to what was said.

As the editor, this screen shot represents what I see when editing comments. I'll let you be the blog editor here. Would you publish the first comment, the second, both or none?


My choice was to publish the second one only.  
I can't believe that any responsible person would publish the racist drivel in the first comment and I can't understand what twisted mind would even send it in.

The only reason I'm printing this screen shot is so that readers can understand the depth of the hate that some of the comments involve.
There are the occasional death threats and racist diatribes, as well as a certain level of invective directed at individual posters.

When you see a comment deleted it may not be as bad as the above comment but there's a damn good reason it isn't being published, a reason that the majority of readers would likely agree with.

I've made it policy that ranting is fine, even if it means insulting or denigrating another poster,  as long as it is within reason and has some sort of redeeming interest.

Here are things that won't be published.
  • A Racist comment
  • A comment that threatens
  • Any comment that says something like  "I hope you are soon dead" (It's not necessarily a direct threat, but it won't be published just the same.)
  •  A comment that is SCREAMING ABOUT NOTHING INTERESTING!!! 
  • A comment that includes quotes like "VIVE LE QUEBEC LIBRE!" or other such drivel.
  •  Any direct quote from Pierre Falardeau, Pierre Bourgault or some other separatist meant to be in-your-face annoying.
  • Comments that are obviously the product of a disturbed person 
It doesn't matter what pseudonym you use, all comments are judged on their individual merit. There are some trolls who use different names to mask their identity, which is more amusing than anything else. Writing styles are hard to mask.

I've now adopted a policy of publishing and removing an offending Comment. That way the author can see that his message was rejected.

Perhaps now those who demand that we post with our real identity can understand why it is foolish to do so.

MORE;

9 comments:

  1. > I've now adopted a policy of publishing and removing an offending Comment. That way the author can see that his message was rejected.

    Imagine the scenario where

    ViveLeQuébecLibre1967 says...
    This post has been removed by a blog administrator.

    NoMoreImmigrant says...
    This post has been removed by a blog administrator.

    PatrioteCensuré says...
    This post has been removed by a blog administrator.

    Now multiply by a few dozen.

    Is that better?

    ReplyDelete
  2. "...ranting is fine, even if it means ..denigrating another poster,.. Here are things that won't be published... * A Racist comment"

    Where do you think the word "denigrate" came from? To make black being the equivalent of being made of less worth?

    ReplyDelete
  3. I agree you shouldn't promote hate and racism. But I think vive le quebec libre and Falardeau quotes should be allowed, otherwise you could bee seen as someone who censors free speech. Saying Vive le Quebec libre isn't necessarily racist. It's just expressing a belief. And a quote in itself should not be censored, even a Falardeau quote, unless of course it directly promotes racism and hate.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Falardeau and Bourgault is racist in intent so it does not deserve space on ur blog

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sounds fair to me. Plus the editor can do whatever he/she wants, that's his/her blog.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Good thing that you monitor comments that way. I guess Google could closed your Web site over such racist things, even if its being post in a comment only. It's better not to display such anonymous non sense comments.

    You're doing a great job!

    ReplyDelete
  7. More blackmail to extort money from the RoC. Never gets old.

    De l'argent pour le Québec ou des élections, dit Duceppe

    http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-quebecoise/201102/13/01-4369810-de-largent-pour-le-quebec-ou-des-elections-dit-duceppe.php?utm_categorieinterne=trafficdrivers&utm_contenuinterne=cyberpresse_B42_acc-manchettes-dimanche_369233_a

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ban *overt* racism/hatred posted by Anons however, if it's a quote from well/known people like Falardeau then you should allow it if only to shine real light on the person.
    Ofcourse, the racist will bleat Censorship and utter the usual "I;m not a racist but..."

    ReplyDelete
  9. @ Sunny: That's very unlikely as freedom of speech is one of the foundations of blogging and the INTERNET in general (which is how hate groups of all kinds have maintained on online presence for years). You have to write some crazy CRAZY stuff to have your blog banned (screaming "Vive le Quebec Libre , je deteste les anglais, sales tetes carrees" isn't just enough).

    "I guess Google could closed your Web site over such racist things, even if its being post in a comment only."

    ReplyDelete