New Policy Regarding Comments Section of SalemNews.com

Want to comment on stories and articles at salemnews.com?

Beginning Feb. 25, commenters will be required to use their real names when posting on salemnews.com.

In this blog post I will address the reasoning and some of the benefits behind this new policy.

As many of you know, when you write a letter-to-the-editor of most newspapers, you are required to include your name, address and contact information.  I have found that most of the newspapers will then call to verify that you are the author of the letter.

This is a good policy.

Why?...Because to it establishes a level of responsibility and accountability.  Anonymity, on the other hand, allows blowhard commenters to hide behind their pseudonyms and spew all kinds of nasty, angry, and senseless rhetoric...with no accountability for hatespeech.

They are known on blog sites as "trolls".

Allow me to share just a few quotes from an anonymous commenter who has used several pseudonyms to hide his identity.  Most of his comments were directed at me personally or against Enough Is Enough (EiE), a fiscal watchdog group I belong to that spearheaded the popular operational audit of the Hamilton/Wenham Regional School District and successfully ended a decade of Proposition 2.5 overrides in Hamilton and Wenham.

QUOTE:

• "You are the only one on this (comment/message) board that is using you own name. That speaks volumes to your stupidity."
•  "I knew that as soon as I mentioned the village idiot, you would respond."
• "I think that the School Committee and the citizens of Hamilton don't trust you and your group of fools."
• "Most people are sensible enough to not form one of these foolish groups.  But, then there are the exceptional groups like EIE who continue to act as fools."
• "When a vigilante group like this forms, they usually don't last for long.  Maybe they should go back to harrassing the children from Gordon Conwell."
• "The village idiots are at it again."
• "I love when people with no clue and a bad cause come together with collective ignorance."
• "If you wore the Jester's hat when speaking for EIE it would be easier for me to understand."
•  "I have always thought of you as a dim wit but I didn't think that you were this stupid."

How's that for "constructive" commenting?  Would this person spew such nonesense if he were made to provide his real name?  Maybe...maybe not.  But if he did, at least he would be held accountable for what he says.  He would have to take responsibility for his words.  Having seen this individual change pseudonyms in the past, I doubt that he will be willing to stand behind his diatribe if he has to tell the world who he is.  To do so would be an embarrassment to him and he prefers to try to embarrass others, not realizing his words have an opposite effect.

Fortunately, most reasonable and rational people recognize the difference between diatribe and substance and are unwilling to accept the former as the latter.

So I say "BRAVO" to the decision makers at the Salem News and their new policy.  As one reader stated in the comment section of the article announcing the Salem News policy decision:

• "THANK YOU Salem News for taking a step sorely needed a LONG time ago. Resident trolls will hate it, as will those with axes to grind but don't seem to have the guts to be upfront about who they actually are.  No progress can be ever made amongst hardliners and haters. Looking forward to seeing the effect of honesty."

By the way...he used his real name.

Want to read more? . . .
Online Blogging or Online Flogging?: http://tinyurl.com/4fpgrmn
Using Real Names Can Elevate The Discussion: http://tinyurl.com/4hyo8rj

"Unmasking The Anonymous Online Loudmouth"

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about how annoying it can be to receive outrageous, ridiculous, and sometimes downright mean and false comments from individuals that hide their identities behind their diatribe by posting as "Anonymous" or using a fake name.

It appears I am not alone in my distaste for these nameless commentors.

The cover story in this week's Boston Globe Magazine, written by Neil Swidey, is about the very same issue. It's titled "Unmasking The Anonymous Online Loudmouth" (I wish I had thought of that) and it reaches just about the same conclusions that I did in my blog titled "Anonymity Cause For Animosity" [Click Here].

I recommend reading Neil's article [Click Here] and seeing why anonymous commentors that write shameless replies have given rise to a new Internet term, or "handle". They are now known as TROLLS...slang for people behind inflammatory posts.

From the article:

"The pros of hostng a robust, free-wheeling conversation
had become outweighed by the cons of all the venon and
nastiness,by people who are allowed to name-call without
any obligation to reveal their own names."

"After years of letting anonymity rule online, many media
heavyweights...have begun to modify their policies. The
goal is to take the playground back from the anonymous
bullies and give greater weight to those willing to offer,
in addition to strong views, their real names."

"...that freedom can be abused and manipulated to spread
lies or mask hidden agendas. With all that in the balance, the
thinking goes, shouldn't we know who's saying these things?"

This blog is dedicated to the troll "REMaven".

Anonymity Cause For Animosity

If you are a blogger, you know that readers' comments mean alot. The same holds true for news reporters whose columns and articles appear online and allow for commenting from the public. Often the comments are supportive of the writer's opinion. Sometimes they are not. Often commenters use their own names when signing. Sometimes they do not, choosing instead an alias or simply posting as "anonymous".

All of that is fine and good...until you come across an anonymous commenter who lacks civility, honesty and integrity.

You know the type...the ones who compare you, the blogger, or even other commenters on your blog to Nazis, or terrorists, or the Klu Klux Klan, or the "village idiot". They claim you are ignorant or misguided or stupid or arrogant. They condemn in the most negative and egregious manner with complete disregard for facts or truth. But they never tell us who they are, do they?

This type of commenter is the real village idiot...and more. This kind of person lacks integrity and spews foolish nonsense and personal insults knowing all along that he/she has no accountability because he/she hides behind a protected wall of anonymity and therefore never "owns" what they write. They accept no responsibility for their dishonesty, negativity and inauthenticity.

In my previous blog I discussed the unfortunate amount of "hate and fake" emails that make their way around the Internet. The anonymous commenters whose conscienceless deceit makes its way onto bloggers' comments sections is the same kind of dishonest and ethically challenged individual. They are pathetic and cowardly.

Fortunately for the bloggers, reasonable and rational people recognize the difference between diatribe and substance and are unwilling to accept the former as the latter.

This blog is dedicated to the anonymous commenter "REmavens".