Readers reacted to our Sunday announcement that LoHud.com is phasing out the system that allows readers to comment anonymously on articles; starting Thursday, the website of The Journal News will rely instead on the ubiquitous Facebook, which requires posters to use their real names, as the platform for publishing reader comments. These responses are culled from LoHud.com, our Facebook page and email.
On LoHud.com
“It’s very unfortunate that posters who really are concerned will no longer have the avenue to express their opinions anonymously and without retribution.”
“Thank you! … People should have the courage to attach their names to what they are passionate about.”
“Courage is an individual act. It is not something that we should force on our families. Criticize the ‘wrong’ group and you may get your house burned down. Criticize unions or grossly overcompensated local cops [and you may put your] families in danger. They don’t publish the names of whistleblowers for that very reason.”
“What a joke! This is this liberal rag’s continuing strategy to control the conversation. … I’m not on Facebook, but I wouldn’t comply with this liberal rag’s attempt to identify its critics.”
“Bravo! I have long been a proponent of making those who comment use their own names. It is not censorship rather than making one take ownership.”
“Unfortunately, the loss of anonymity may cause those who are less than civil to seek out, harass and annoy, or worse, those with whom they disagree. Across a wide population there are always some who are not civil. I’ve agreed and disagreed with many posts, but now I fear that my disagreement with someone may lead to some type of harm as a result of disagreement, even without name calling or lack of civility. It is a truly chilling effect of this policy change, and I do not know if I will continue to participate, or if I do continue to participate, how it will affect what I post.”
“… Anonymous posting, in my opinion, is the equivalent to the secret ballot. Every citizen has the right to vote with out having to consider how that vote will be viewed by their neighbors, employers, the government or in the court of political correctness. These comment pages are the same, they allow people to express their true thoughts without fear of reprisal. …”
“Over time, LoHud.com has become a breeding ground of hate speech. Every social and political ill imaginable has been alternatively blamed on African Americans, Jews, Muslims, Latinos, Haitians, and immigrants from all countries. … Be adults. If you’re going to say horrible things about people, identify yourself. It’s understandable to be afraid to put your name next to a comment that is completely abhorrent. It’s the same reason that Klansmen wear white hoods. You’re cowards.”
“… You can still spout any views you want anonymously, just start your own blog on many of the free websites that you can do that on. Freedom of speech is guaranteed, but that does not mean a private company or corporation is required to give you free speech. The Journal News is a private entity that can set its own rules. What they are doing is not censorship, because you have other ways of freely expressing your opinion other than through their website. …”
“Thank you. I am a daily reader of The Journal News, and a frequent commenter. I try to keep it clean, honest and constructive. It is very frustrating to see snide — often unsociable and mean — comments from others.”
On Facebook
“Yes, great idea. Anonymous postings detract from the spirit of open and free communications.”
— John Dough
“… When I feel the need to speak my mind I don’t care who sees my name! And if anyone chooses to challenge me on it, go for it.”
— Janice Scully-Kovach
Via e-mail
“This is one of the best decisions I’ve read about in a long time. Thank you for tackling this problem head-on and taking meaningful action. I have never understood why a printed letter must be signed but anything, and I mean anything, goes in cyberspace. I hope other news media will follow your lead and try to put an end to the ugly garbage that has quickly come to contaminate reasonable dialogue regarding the numerous important matters facing all of us today as residents of our communities, county, state and nation. Thank you!
— Geoff Thompson
5 Comments
Wow what a disingenuous representation of the over 400 commenst that were made when this announcement was first made. You make it appear as if it was 50/50 split when in fact it was much closer to 80/20 against your decison to only allow commenst from people who chose to put their personal data at risk via FB. I mean, can you guys EVER be truthful? Since you are now into all this transparency stuff, will the editorial board members identify themelves by name to each endorsement or position you promulgate? Further, again in teh name of transparency will you states for teh record any conflicts of interset you might have including your political party, past campaign or other political donations? I mean after all we all deserve transparency don’t we? Or is it just the people ( you know those pesky customers) who are now required to be transparent. You have done be a big favor and saved me $. I cancelled by subscription to my 7-day a week home delivery and will look for other altranative sources for local news like the Patch or News12. Please make sure that Ed and Herb get credit for teh lost buisness.
As Mike said, it’s really sad that this newspaper continues to put so much spin on stories while trying to portray objectivity. There were over 400 comments and the overwhelming number of them were negative. There were also a number of very eloquent and very popular negative comments that aren’t represented in the selection you showed here.
What you write is subjective, what you edit is subjective, who you endorse is subjective, what you hide is subjective, and who you take ad dollars from is subjective.
But we all know that the best minds in the business have already forecasted a complete collapse of newspapers. As Clay Shirky says, once you become irrelevant to 25-year-olds, you’re basically done for. Decisions like these just advance that inevitable demise.
http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/mediawire/154797/shirky-many-news-orgs-must-choose-between-radical-restructure-and-outright-collapse/
LOL I can’t help but think that the Mad Bomber who went around for years spouting hateful crap and nonsense is what led mostly to this decision. You guys remember him?Oddly… I kind of miss his post’s… It always made me chuckle wondering what kind of person he must be with the crap he would post. JOURNAL NERDS! LOL!
May as well eliminate comments altogether. The JNews editors, in their infinite wisdom, took a vibrant, boiling potpourri of disparate strong opinion and turned it into a frozen, wide, empty wasteland of boredom and ennui.
Wonder how low the “hits” to this site have sunk. I know I only “check” in when I hear about something going on locally or first see it on news 12 or one of the patch site. I note taht there are a sparcity of comments now and the few that I can read- apparently since I cancelled my account with lohud my punishment is that I can only see one FB comment. But ironically, the few that I have seen violate the TOS- so the JN has succeeded in losing customers but still has nasty comments. seems pretty dumb to me. I’m enjoying the patch site anyhow. Great move Ed- did thye give you a bonus for thsi brillant financial move??