In The Capitol Fax Blog on Illinois state government and politics, editor/administrator Rich Miller has this standing policy on comments posted to his message board: "Inappropriate or excessively rabid comments, gratuitous insults and "rumors" will be deleted or held for moderation. Profanity is absolutely not acceptable in any form. All violators risk permanent banishment without warning and may be blocked from accessing this site. Also, please try to be a little bit original." [Boldface in the original.] In the comments on a Gov. Pat Quinn's latest perceived "flip-flop" on the state budget, two posters got into an exchange. First:
- dupage dan - Wednesday, Apr 7, 10 @ 10:38 am:Which earned (using the term loosely) this reply:
Well, if we are to believe Loop Lady, once PQ is elected he will solve all these pesky problems. What I wonder is why he has to wait until Nov anyway. If he has the solutions let’s see ‘em - now.
The reality is that any solution will be so painful to someone. Good hearted PQ (no snark) doesn’t want to cause that pain so he backs down from even the most mild proposals so as to remain the good guy. He has done so repeatedly. This is incompetence. Nice guy is not what we need. Hard nosed is what we need. PQ ain’t got what it takes. TIme to find a new job, Mr Quinn.
- Loop Lady - Wednesday, Apr 7, 10 @ 11:16 am:And this response, to both, from Miller:
Du Page Dan: If you’re so confident that these “pesky” problems can be easily solved, let’s hear your solutions…or if you care as much as you protest to on the blog, send Pat your
ideas ASAP so we can build your monument to government sainthood post haste…it’s easy to criticize when yo’re not responsible aint it? Now please go away and leave us less judgemental folks alone…
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Apr 7, 10 @ 11:20 am:Comments on Miller's blog are almost uniquely civil and well informed, partly because his readership includes a lot of state officials and lobbyists, people, in other words, who work with state government every day and often know what they're talking about. The way Miller moderates his message board helps keep it that way.
LL and DD, I’m getting bored with your little back and forths. Stick to your own opinions from now on or you’ll both find yourselves in an extended timeout.
The other piece was a syndicated column on message board comments by Leonard Pitts of The Miami Herald. Its headline - "Anonymity brings out the worst instincts - sums it up pretty neatly. Money graf (well, graf and a half):
... see the message boards of pretty much any paper. Or just wade in the nearest cesspool. The experiences are equivalent.And this (oh, OK, these grafs):
Far from validating some high-minded ideal of public debate, message boards -- particularly those inadequately policed by their newspapers and/or dealing with highly emotional matters -- have become havens for a level of crudity, bigotry, meanness and plain nastiness that shocks the tattered remnants of our propriety.
Here's the Herald's message board policy: "The Miami Herald is pleased to provide this opportunity to share information, experiences and observations about what's in the news. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere in the site or in the newspaper. We encourage lively, open debate on the issues of the day, and ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point. In order to post comments, you must be a registered user of MiamiHerald.com. Your username will show along with the comments you post. Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts."
Why have message boards failed to live up to the noble expectations?
The answer in a word is, anonymity. The fact that on a message board -- unlike in an old-fashioned letter to the editor -- no one is required to identify themselves, no one is required to say who they are and own what they've said, has inspired many to vent their most reptilian thoughts.
Read some of the comments in The Herald. Compare them to the anonymous comments on the perceived "whiny, snot dribbling nonsense" in Pitts' column posted in the Greensboro (N.C.) News & Record. In your opinion, does The Herald's policy help keep "reptilian thoughts" off the board? Post your observations as a comment to this post.
1 comment:
I think that the comment by Ken was right on track, I think that if a writer was to have to put their name on the comment some comments may not be as meanancing. I belive that with today that those that are closet people hide behind message boards and say what they really feel and can have anonymosity and no-one will know who they are and how they really feel. I think that it does give the person writing ont the blog the feeling that they can be harmful and hurtful to others with no consenquences to face. So I think the policy will just make those who write to have some accountability to their statements.
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