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Comments: Moderation and Anonymity

The Madville Times reserves the right to delete comments at whim, but will use that right sparingly. The Madville Times assumes no responsibility for illegal content (e.g., libel); commenters retain sole legal responsibility for the content of their submitted material.

Cuss words are generally unnecessary.

Given my experience that anonymous comments foster unneighborly, unproductive, off-topic ranting, I generally delete anonymous comments. Very simply:

  1. Leave your real name with your comment.
  2. If I don't recognize your name, and if you don't provide a hyperlink to a profile or other identifying information, I usually delete the comment.
  3. If you don't provide a functional e-mail address and reply to my inquiry as to your identity, I almost always delete the comment.
  4. If you have something to say but are unwilling to say it publicly, send your info privately, and we can talk.
  5. Don't like it? Get your own blog. It's easy, it's free.

The Madville Times recognizes that some citizens want to participate in public discourse but are afraid that other citizens may retaliate in some fashion against them for expressing unpopular views. The Madville Times does not share such fears and urges all citizens to exercise their First Amendment rights respectfully yet fearlessly.

Many institutions forbid anonymous participation:

  1. The Madison Daily Leader, as well as nearly all newspapers, will not publish anonymous letters to the editor and requires verifiable contact information with every letter.
  2. The school districts I have worked for will not act on anonymous complaints.
  3. The legal system permits witnesses to testify anonymously only in the most extreme cases where a clear threat to the witnesses' safety can be demonstrated.
  4. People who show up at public meetings wearing masks are generally viewed with suspicion.

Possible exceptions: The Madville Times reserves the right to let stand anonymous comments of remarkable wit, intelligence, or verifiable newsworthiness.

In general, the Madville Times frowns on anonymous comments because they represent a weaker form of civil discourse. As members of a community, we should speak with each other as equal partners in the great endeavor of maintaining and improving the quality of life in the city and state we share. Even when exercising the privilege of anonymous commenting, readers should moderate their own comments by the following criteria:

  1. Would you be willing to say these same words in a face-to-face conversation with the person to whom you are directing your comment?
  2. Would you be willing to say these same words in person with other people listening?

If you think I'm picky, feel free to compare comment policies from NPR, Huffington Post, and New York Times.

5 Comments

  1. Anonymous 2010.12.31

    I cna't read this while I'm typing it .... and the same applies to the right hand side of the screen ... most of your new "fonts" are too small/narrow to work on my web browser ... for what it's worth ....

  2. caheidelberger Post author | 2010.12.31

    Thanks, Anon -- I want to hammer out a couple other tech issues first, then I'll turn to my style sheet and tinker with font sizes some more. Would you find it useful if I installed a widget that allowed you to customize the font size, larger or smaller, to suit your browser? (By the way, which browser and what size screen are you using?)

  3. Anonymous 2010.12.31

    Yes. A widget (for font size) would be helpful ... I'm using Firefox on Mac OS 10.6. 13" MacBook Air. Great machine, by the way. (Note: I tried changing my default fonts on Firefox, and the rest of the websites I frequent become difficult too read, so I went back to letting the website fonts control size/look.)

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