Reader comments: Great debate or heap of trouble?
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
One of the greatest differences between a traditional broadcast or print story and a story run online is the readers' ability to comment instantly on breaking news or a hot topic. At the beginning of the multimedia journalism bubble, many news sites were resistant to allowing open discussions on their online stories for fear of the internet "crazies." Now, all but a few holdouts see the benefit of a free flow of discussion to the local and global communities.
The problem is user comments are sometimes far from civil. Comment-enabled websites sometimes have to deal with overly passionate users insulting each other, foul language, and of course spam comments.
There are a couple of options that keep the comments section less bar talk and civilized conversation:
Just one word of advice: DON'T turn the comments off across the board. We're living in a Web 2.0 world where users expect to be able have their say about your content. Though the challenges of an open discussion may seem daunting, in the end the contribution to the story is well worth it.
The problem is user comments are sometimes far from civil. Comment-enabled websites sometimes have to deal with overly passionate users insulting each other, foul language, and of course spam comments.
There are a couple of options that keep the comments section less bar talk and civilized conversation:
- Moderate comments (requires a dedicated staffer which may or may not be in the budget)
- Necessitate that each comment be reviewed before it is posted (which hinders the immediacy of the conversation)
- Install a foul language filter like Devowelizer (WordPress)
- Require registration in order to comment (allows users to be tracked, and if necessary, be blocked)
- Install a spam blocker like Aksimet (WordPress)
Just one word of advice: DON'T turn the comments off across the board. We're living in a Web 2.0 world where users expect to be able have their say about your content. Though the challenges of an open discussion may seem daunting, in the end the contribution to the story is well worth it.
Labels: site management
3 Comments
Richard D. LeCour Says:
Thanks for the nod to my Devowelizer (note the actual permalink URL). I am a staunch supporter of allowing free speech, even to the point of allowing reasonably insulting remarks (as seen on my highly debated and inflammatory Those Stupid Americans post). Unfortunately, there are boundaries that readers should never cross.
Says:
McCain's disdain toward Obama was highly insulting and offensive. It isn't difficult to make a choice who the better candidate is.
I would have liked to hear to where our oil in Alaska goes to, namely Japan. The oil companies have millions of acres on where they don't drill. Wonder why?
Also, why is the surge supposedly working.
100 000 Sunis are being paid cash monthly to keep them on our side.
Mugtada al-Sadr ordered his Shiite Militia not to attack Americans until he gives orders.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Malaki is an agent of Iran. We did Iran a great favor by invading Iraq.
Walls are being build to keep Suni and Shiite neighborhoods separated. 2 million Iraqis fled their country.
What is the bottom line of this unjust, illegal, immoral war. Over 4,000 of our braves are dead; 30,000 wounded; 10 billion a months. Did you forget the Iraqi casualties? They are in the 100 000.
As long as we occupy a Moslem country, we will have terrorist attacks.
PS: The translation of Amadinajhad's remarks about Israel is totally misrepresented. He said "Israel will parish from the pages of time."
I would have liked to hear to where our oil in Alaska goes to, namely Japan. The oil companies have millions of acres on where they don't drill. Wonder why?
Also, why is the surge supposedly working.
100 000 Sunis are being paid cash monthly to keep them on our side.
Mugtada al-Sadr ordered his Shiite Militia not to attack Americans until he gives orders.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Malaki is an agent of Iran. We did Iran a great favor by invading Iraq.
Walls are being build to keep Suni and Shiite neighborhoods separated. 2 million Iraqis fled their country.
What is the bottom line of this unjust, illegal, immoral war. Over 4,000 of our braves are dead; 30,000 wounded; 10 billion a months. Did you forget the Iraqi casualties? They are in the 100 000.
As long as we occupy a Moslem country, we will have terrorist attacks.
PS: The translation of Amadinajhad's remarks about Israel is totally misrepresented. He said "Israel will parish from the pages of time."
January 15, 2008 4:02 PM