Wednesday, August 19, 2009

"A Note on Comments"

Reordered to the top to ensure all comments and voices are heard.

We've enabled moderation for comments posted to blogs that are two weeks old and older.

What that means is that if you post a comment to a blog that has been up for more than two weeks, the comment will be reviewed by an administrator before it will appear on the blog.

This is being done for two reasons:

1.) To prevent another incident like the recent one in which someone(s) posted threats on a month-old blog: http://www.jtirregulars.com/2009/07/kaledonia-koward-kicks-dog.html

2.) To prevent spamming of old blogs. Without such moderating, anyone could post anything in the comments. We don't have time to patrol all the old blogs, but I'd hate to see them spammed up with links to porno sites or online gambling or other garbage.

The amount of time before moderation kicks in is set in days and easily adjusted. When it happens, a link appears in the dashboards of administrators, and an email is sent to the JTI. Then an admin has to look at the comment to OK it.

Another alternative is to disable anonymous comments and only allow those of registered users.

If you disagree with this decision, or have other suggestions, please say so below.

13 comments:

drewzepmeister said...

On my blog, I do the same thing about anonymous posters. To me, if a person has got a Google account, he/she has something useful to say.

SER said...

Sounds like a good plan to me....

educationreform said...

I'm not sure what happened, but I have been unable to post for a long time, but now that ability has been magically restored, perhaps its the work of Madame Zoltar!

kkdither said...

Ed, welcome back! Way to go, Mme. Zoltar! Or... perhaps you just remembered your original password, ed.

kkdither said...

My opinion is to allow anonymous comments. Someone might want to "get their feet wet" before making a commitment. We can always change that policy if the situation merits.

I like the two week moderation limit. I rarely go back to older posts to read anyway. There is usually plenty of new good stuff to keep me busy. Look at our numbers, 2000 blogs in just over one year! Not to mention the countless silly comments...

RWWackoStu said...

Sounds good to me!

OrbsCorbs said...

Censorship in any form is tyranny!

Death to the pc police!

Tippecanoe and Tyler too!

Beejay said...

Okay, Orbs, deep breaths, deep breaths. I have to agree with KK though. Seems like a good plan to me.

Ed, welcome back!

hale-bopp said...

Sounds reasonable overall...just one comment/question.

Let's say I want to bump an old blog to the top due to new information...if I change the publish date, that should reopen it to comments for another two weeks, right?

People can still comment on older blogs...we just don't want machines (mostly) commenting on older blogs. People have free speech...computers, not so much.

And Orbs, this one is for you...

"Oh who has heard the great commotion, motion motion
all the country through?
It is the ball a-rolling on
for Tippecanoe and Tyler too
and with him we'll beat Little Van, Van
Van is a used up man
and with him we'll beat Little Van"

OrbsCorbs said...

"Let's say I want to bump an old blog to the top due to new information...if I change the publish date, that should reopen it to comments for another two weeks, right?"

I assume so.

Lizardmom said...

I like the idea :) now you know the JT will take that idea too...

Anonymous said...

Porno site?!! Someone mention porno site?

OrbsCorbs said...

I haven't seen it here yet, but I've seen it on forums. Spambots post links to whatever.

There was occasional spam on the old Journal Times site. It often appeared to be in Arabic. I don't remember if any of it linked to outside sites. I may never have clicked or checked.