Today, Blue Like You posted about why people visit blogs. I had blogged about why blogs are winning over the MSM this weekend. What I have been wrestling with this weekend and especially today, is that some anonymous posters make me cringe when I read their posts. I don't want to go to my own blog and feel upset when reading some of the comments, but I don't want to stop freedom of speech either. So, should I stop allowing anonymous posters?
I hate to do that because some anons are very articulate and offer great insight into the posts. Most commentators respect my one rule about swearing, so I have no problem with them, and I like hearing other points of view.
When you look at it, I am anonymous too, all you know about me is that my name is "Hunter", I'm female and I live in Edmonton, so how can I ban anonymous posts? That would be hypocritical, because I am anonymous myself. Except...
It's my blog and I have a measure of control over what comments I allow. I blogged in the wilderness for years before getting on the Blogging Tories "front page", but now that I have "made it", new problems arise.
I want to keep this blog about everyday issues that are important to me and my family, I want to appeal to every person just like me, trying to raise a family without getting into too much debt, I want to make people understand why I support the Conservatives, and I hope I can occasionally make you smile with my Friday Funnies, but most of all, I hope you can connect with me, as a fellow Canadian, as a mother, and as someone who cares about our country, and the direction it is heading.
Today, I deleted some comments from an anonymous poster because they upset me, that is not what freedom of speech is about, I should have left them up, but I couldn't, they disturbed me, and made me sad at the same time. Sad that someone hates the Conservatives so bad that they are blinded by that hate.
So, in my house, you take your shoes off, my blog is like my house, so, can I boot a rowdy poster out of my house, if they refuse to remove their shoes? You tell me.
20 comments:
Hunter, I've had a private board for almost 6 years. The last line of the posted rules says;
"Admin has the right to remove or suspend people from this board if needed.
If you disagree with that, please feel free to start your own board so you can find out why that right is needed."
The reason I put that line in my "rules" is because some people just want to cause trouble. My place isn't political, rather it's where a group of disabled people can gather to share experiences in how to cope with life. Hard to imagine that someone would cause disruption there, but it's happened a few times.
So, yes, it's your house and if people don't want to respect your rules by taking their shoes off, toss them out the door.
You absolutely have the right to ban certain posters; especially anyone posting as 'anonymous'. If they're too lazy to sign in with a proper handle or they just want to hide, then they're not worth having anyway.
You might consider moving your blog to Wordpress though, because it offers a greater degree of control. You can block certain people but let others through.
There's always Comment Moderation of course.
Anyway, don't let 'em get you down. We need strong Conservative female voices in Canada.
We sure do need strong female voices for Conservatives in Canada since females apparently don't like Stephen Harper.
The best blogs that I read are all written by Conservative females. Keep up the good work.
As an anonymous poster I agree with you 100%. I do not have the time, inclination or wherewithal to start my own blog. However, I do read and respond pretty well daily to those that do.
You have an interesting, articulate blog. If you were to ban anonymous posters I would understand. It is your house.
Today, I deleted some comments from an anonymous poster because they upset me, that is not what freedom of speech is about, I should have left them up, but I couldn't, they disturbed me, and made me sad at the same time.
Sorry, but you've got a misunderstanding here.
The fact that you have a blog in the first place means you are, in fact, exercising freedom of speech.
Paradoxically, however, the fact that you chose to delete comments because they upset you is also an exercise of freedom of speech.
This blog represents you. Not your commenters, or your critics. You. If a commenter posts something offensive, freedom of speech does not mean you have to let it stand, because what you leave up is still a reflection of your blog.
As with Anonomys (06:08) I don't have my own blog (aome say far to lazy and lacking in initiative!!!!!) but enjoy reading many many blogs (yours amoung them). As long as you maintain your commitment to free speech and remove comments based on their advocacy of violence, abusive comments, unfounded accusations etc. there is no problem in my eyes; as long as you continue to allow comments contrary to your position, challenging your (and others) views and opinions, you are doing justice to free speech. You have every right to boot someone yelling "FIRE" as long as you don't boot someone discussing the need for fire saftey equipment!!! Keep up the good work
As someone who reads your blog daily, I find the anonymous comments to be annoying at the least and occasionally quite bothersome. You seem to have at least one "anon" who posts some pretty hateful stuff on a regular basis, not just politically hateful but also personal. I think its fine to disagree with a blogger, but let's keep it civl. If you have to become abusive, I don't think your arguement is very strong.
I once had a long argument with a guy on your blog who insisted that he posted as "anon" because he was afraid that if he was traced and his views revealed he would lose business. Absolute garbage.
There are a number of people who enjoy commenting, but would not want their own blog, and if they use a name, you can run into them all over the place, which I enjoy. "Gabby from QC" comes to mind, and of course who does not know the infamous "Gayle".
Bottom line, it's your blog, so you can do what you want and if people don't like it, they can leave. But if someone is trying to make your life miserable, it's just not worth having them around.
Good luck !
Thank you all, I won't feel so guilty about deleting some comments now.
there is no problem in my eyes; as long as you continue to allow comments contrary to your position, challenging your (and others) views and opinions, you are doing justice to free speech.
That ended today.
All dissenters are now "hateful" according to this place. Note that insults and personal attacks are still allowed in the comments, so long as they are against the dissenting views. I'd suggest people check and see for themselves how "hateful" my comments have been, but of course you have destroyed the evidence. Typical.
See any contrary views here anymore? Thought not.
Careful as you slide down that slope, it gets steeper. Your site now accurately reflects the CPC way of doing things. The cries for civility, met by following swearing rules now escalate to "no dissent allowed".
Next it would be hunting down the dissenters, as we have seen from others of your ilk, but of course you will never find out who I am. So you are stuck with your high dudgeon, faux outrage and wounded pride.
Hahahahahaha!
That Hahahahahaha! sounds awfully familiar...
Everyone posting a comment should have to leave their e-mail address regardless of whether they post with a name or are anonymous.
That way the owner of the blog has someone to contact if they might want to.
"Everyone posting a comment should have to leave their e-mail address regardless of whether they post with a name or are anonymous."
Sorry to disagree.
While I agree with you, Hunter, that it's your blog, therefore your rules, I do not believe your rules should necessarily include an email address, as suggested by Anonymous @ 10:10 AM.
I'm not very tech-savvy, but I notice that I get less spam, particularly of the "enlargement" type, since I've been omitting my email wherever it's possible.
Is it because my email address is not as available for culling from the internet? I don't know. But I like the fact I get less spam ...
Since it is YOUR blog, though, I see no problem with comment moderation or putting in a clearly visible disclaimer stating what you expect from posters at your site.
I don't understand why some people are reluctant to choose a name for themselves, and stick to that. Sometimes on the same thread there are several people signing as "anonymous" so inevitably there is confusion.
And as was mentioned by Ruth, it's great to have Conservative women bloggers like yourself, and so many women commenters (I am one).
P.S. Thanks, Jad.
Note to Hahahahahaha!
One of the reasons I like using DiscusPro software on my site is because I don't have to track down idiots. I simply point, click, and ban your computer from my site. Works 95% of the time, because most twits are too dumb to understand the difference between static and dynamic IP's. The other 5% have to be dealt with by contacting their ISPs. Which can be done fairly easily.
BTW, after reading your posting, I'd make a bet that you are a rather young twit... sorry, immature leftwing person.
"don": I would never go to your "private board" simply because, as you just clearly admitted, it is a "track 'n' stalk" board.
First it's banning IP numbers, then it's tracking people to their ISP. Why, exactly, would you need to go to someone's ISP? Only for harassment purposes. There is a legal procedure for dealing with such things, and an individual going to another individual's ISP is not it.
Even though I comment here anonymously, should I commit an actual crime, (such as credibly threatening death) in this place, hunter could call the police and they would have blogger track me down.
I accept those limitations. I do not accept giving someone like you the ability, at your whim, to directly reach into my personal real life and harass me, my employees or my family.
As we've seen with hunter, first it was "no swearing". Now it's "no saying things I don't want to hear". The legal goalposts do not move as quickly as those of a blog owner who could choose to track and stalk readers. It sounds like you would track people simply for insulting you.
You have no legitimate reason to be tracking IP numbers. It starts with tracking. Then it is harassing phone calls, the car that's always on your street, persistent calls to the workplace.
People can sneer and laugh at me for being cautious. But I know a lot about that kind of stuff, and I will never ever give someone like yourself the opportunity.
"You have no legitimate reason to be tracking IP numbers. It starts with tracking. Then it is harassing phone calls, the car that's always on your street, persistent calls to the workplace.
People can sneer and laugh at me for being cautious. But I know a lot about that kind of stuff, and I will never ever give someone like yourself the opportunity."
Anonymous 3.45, Let me suggest a name for you to differentiate you from all the other anons -
PARANOID.
Hunter
Hello
I hope you keep the anonymous post option open; I appreciate it when I can post comments without any e-tape (vice red tape). Hang in there!
Barry Westholm
The types of comments you delete would probably upset most of your readers also.
anonhahaha makes a pest of itself on numerous blogs. Is itself gender neutral enough.
After digesting all the comments, and especially anon 7:08, I will leave the option to post anonymously on my blog.
Understand that a real person lives behind this blog, and that any posts that make me cringe will be deleted. Don has it right, if you disagree with me, start you own blog.
The types of comments you delete would probably upset most of your readers also.
According to you. We'll never know. Hunter has deleted them.
anonhahaha makes a pest of itself on numerous blogs. Is itself gender neutral enough.
So we can add "Conservative women lie" to the post above, since maryt is lying about this.
Or can you name the "numerous" blogs I comment on? Maybe it's you impersonating me.
Absolutely right. You have every right to ask people visiting your house to remove their shoes. And to maintain control of your blog.
I have an whole blog about removig shoes in homes. You might want to take a look.
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