tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7385359808043148998.post8985506031724596807..comments2024-03-28T03:23:42.275-04:00Comments on Digital Notebook: To Be, or Not to Be -- Anonymous (Updated. See bottom)Evan Brandthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00978107579447279224noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7385359808043148998.post-34124185614970483452011-12-02T13:15:54.222-05:002011-12-02T13:15:54.222-05:00Evan, Facebook or Disqus integration with The Merc...Evan, Facebook or Disqus integration with The Mercury's on-line comments would help to tone down much of the hostility on display there, although it wouldn't eliminate it completely. It would be nice to see some meaningful debate for a change.<br /><br />Back in April, I posted on this very same topic: http://codebluepulse.blogspot.com/2011/04/anonymity-is-killing-pottstown.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7385359808043148998.post-14528877624500250682011-12-02T12:41:21.532-05:002011-12-02T12:41:21.532-05:00There are a number of residents in the 1st and 2nd...There are a number of residents in the 1st and 2nd wards that have collectively become known as the Golden Cockroaches. Our blog site is geared at making public the shame of the slum rental property owners wherever they own property in Pottstown. There are other resident homeowners on the "fringe" that are also fighting this battle and speak up when they can on the Mercury comments. Particularly when "goodmom" comments. Her threats and convoluted manipulation are scary and because of the nature of our fight we will stay anonymous but we admire the few who are outspoken and up front with their opinons of slumlords. There is a need for anonymity for all the reasons that have already been stated here and in the Mercury.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7385359808043148998.post-55423686192737016692011-12-01T11:37:31.034-05:002011-12-01T11:37:31.034-05:00I would like to share the text of a letter I wrote...I would like to share the text of a letter I wrote last week to John Paton, CEO of Journal <br /><br />Register Company. The subject line of the email was "Why I No Longer Subscribe to The Pottstown Mercury":<br /><br />November 22, 2011<br /><br />Mr. John Paton<br />Chief Executive Officer<br />Journal Register Company<br />Lower Makefield Corporate Center<br />790 Township Line Road, 3rd Floor<br />Yardley, PA 19067<br /><br />Dear Mr. Paton:<br /><br />I have lived in Pottstown, PA for the past 18 years. For a good majority of those years I was a paid subscriber to your Journal Register owned<br />daily newspaper, The Mercury. I am no longer a paid subscriber and I would like to share with you why.<br /><br />I can no longer read your publication due to the continuous and ongoing nasty and degrading <br />comments posted online on a daily basis.<br /><br />Let me share with you two examples. My wife Amy recently helped organize an Occupy event in <br />downtown Pottstown. Two Mercury articles appeared in the print and online editions. Both <br />articles have spawned close to 60 online comments (as of this writing). The vast majority of those comments are mean, bullying and downright nasty. Here are links to the<br />two articles:<br /><br />'Occupy' arrives in Pottstown (currently 18 comments)<br /><br />'Occupy' movement coming to Pottstown (currently 38 comments)<br /><br />I'm wondering why Journal Register does not use Facebook for their online comments?<br /><br />I recently read that Gannett now requires Facebook for posting comments. Even the neighboring Reading Eagle, the major daily newspaper of Reading, PA (which has a daily circulation of 64,000 and a Sunday circulation of 100,000) requires online comments to be done via Facebook.<br /><br />Using Facebook will allow for higher quality discussion and a far less amount of anonymous <br />comments.<br /><br />I know of many, many Pottstown residents who are disgusted with The Mercury and refuse to <br />read/subscribe to the newspaper due its daily dose of mean-spirited comments.<br /><br />I would ask that you consider using Facebook for online comments to greatly reduce the <br />amount of trashy comments that The Mercury approves and publishes on a daily basis. I always go out of my way to support businesses in Pottstown, but I will never support The Mercury as long as it gives these reckless comments and their authors an online platform for their hatred.<br /><br />Thank you.<br /><br />Julian Francis<br />249 Chestnut Street<br />Pottstown, PA 19464<br /><br />And here is the text of the response I received from Mr. Paton:<br /><br />Mr. Francis,<br /><br />Online commenting is, for sure, one of the most contentious issues in journalism today.<br /><br />There are no easy solutions and nothing else to do but to work hard to find one which is <br /><br />what we are doing.<br /><br />I have asked JRC VP Jon Cooper to look into the matter you refer to specifically and report <br /><br />back on what actions, if any, we might take. I have copied Jim Brady, JRC's Editor-in-Chief <br /><br />on this email as well as Nancy March the editor of the Mercury and Ed Condra the Senior <br /><br />Publisher responsible for PA.<br /><br />I thank you for bringing this matter to my attention.<br /><br />Sincere regards, John Paton.Julian Francishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15973806317009325262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7385359808043148998.post-23764584479176824672011-12-01T07:27:14.136-05:002011-12-01T07:27:14.136-05:00Evan, you have always been a professional journele...Evan, you have always been a professional journelest, so I know this issue is straight from the heart. If you recall, some time back we were downright slandered by an anonymous poster on the Mercury. Not only did it cost us reputation, it cost us time and money to undo. All because an anonymous poster took advantage of the system to spread a batch of lies in an attempt to drive us out of town. The result of such action is that business is venerable here. The reality is that an anonymous poster could put someone out of business in such a delicate economy simply by spreading untruths and fear. <br /><br />A publication may be concerned when eyeballs drop from page views, but what will they say when businesses are driven from town by anonymous posters and stop advertising altogether?Cristian DeSeta - Cristian DeSeta Designhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10648411796814541199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7385359808043148998.post-41602628930645095492011-11-30T16:25:16.105-05:002011-11-30T16:25:16.105-05:00I'll guess I'll add my two and half cents....I'll guess I'll add my two and half cents.<br /><br />First I don't envy your position, I've administered message boards and ran my own blogs (Wordpress, Drupal, etc.) and moderating and controlling comments is the worst job on the internet.<br /><br />I will never agree with the banning of anonymous comments. First off there really isn't a good way to ensure real life identities. Lots of methods have been tried and none are really that sucessful. Every site that has TOS still has people who will bend and break those rules. Look at Wikipedia and sockpuppets to understand just some of those issues.<br /><br />I think the best way to handle commenting is to let the technology do it's work. Wordpress has a lot of plugins that allow you to auto-control commenting. I would imagine at the Mercury there is a swear filter on the comments, take that a step further you can write software to deal with problem children and ban their logins or if needed their IP (this is very controversial though.)<br /><br />If you need examples of sites that handles comments the best (IMHO) take a look at Engadget and Kotaku. Kataku uses featured comments, the main article shows a featured comments section then a tab for all comments. Engadget uses a voting featuring to allow users to raise and bury comments they like and dislike. A combination of the two is the best way to go with software that auto-manages abuse.<br /><br />If you want to see a site that allows anonymous comments and works (IMO) go to TechDirt and take a look at what happens there, when someone acts like a jerk the regulars put them in their place. It may look wild west to you but it works for their site.<br /><br />I will add I understand your problem: You are running a newspaper that needs to be accessible by all (including the possibility of children) and you want to keep the place civil. I think it can be acomplished with my suggestions. But taking the approach of cutting off what makes the internet the internet is wrong. What I mean by that is people like approaching it their own way, some like real name and some like to build an online identity.<br /><br />Understand that some people like to build on online identity and take pride in keeping that online identity in good standing with the site they are on. You will always have the trolls, that's what makes the internet the internet.<br /><br />Lastly do not, whatever you do, make Facebook the sign on for any site. You can use at one means for signing in, it would ultimately be better to have a multi-sign on system. Right here on Blogger I can sign this comment a number of ways (Google Account, Livejournal, Wordpress, etc), that's the way to do it.Doughboyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06538340851515681203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7385359808043148998.post-41630893888412369252011-11-30T14:54:17.717-05:002011-11-30T14:54:17.717-05:00Although we allow anonymous posting on our blog, I...Although we allow anonymous posting on our blog, I have begun posting comments wherever I go in my own name. I also find the anonymous comments on the Mercury particularly vicious. And you may not believe it but there have been some very over the top comments that we have not published on The Pulse.Jeff Leflarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18065059632449018838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7385359808043148998.post-78604787882316820872011-11-30T14:32:22.532-05:002011-11-30T14:32:22.532-05:00IMO,anonymity in comments is trolling, death threa...IMO,anonymity in comments is trolling, death threats and down right meanness waiting to happen. When ppl comment on the Mercury Facebook page their face and real name are shown, it keeps ppl somewhat civil when expressing how they feel. If you let them be anonymous then they will express those same feelings only this time it will be in an unnecessary mean, harsh and even cruel manner. The key word here is UNNECESSARY. You can still say how you feel without being a jerk.Unique Anniquehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16318026884317122793noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7385359808043148998.post-44429651211433792592011-11-30T14:25:38.045-05:002011-11-30T14:25:38.045-05:00I like a "best" or "top" comme...I like a "best" or "top" comments strategy because I think it promotes the most engaging and relevant discussion while still enabling all users to provide feedback. Letting readers rank comments can also make the posts more interactive.Michael S Weekleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15824738909042214350noreply@blogger.com