Comment sections are interesting places to gauge public opinion on a topic and explore new insight. By the end of the weekend I’ve usually spent enough time on these sites to have at least added to my knowledge of a particular topic.
The problem is that it’s easy to get dragged into a debate on the internet. Being anonymous gives certain people the courage to say things that they say things on the internet that they might not if their identities were public.
As a friend of mine once eloquently put it “... the problem with winning a debate on the Internet, is that you’re still a loser.”
Fair enough, but then where’s the fun at?
It is usually up to moderators on forums and news sites to regulate these comments an ensure that nothing gets too out of hand, that the conversation doesn’t fall into complete anarchy.
It is important to note here that forums and news websites have different standards and styles when it come to posting, so from here on out, I’m just going to focus on news sites.
I follow three major news sources on the internet. I read the articles and the comments, and occasionally participate in the discussion myself. These three being the Winnipeg Free Press, TSN and CBC- fairly reputable news sources.
Each of these organizations has a right and responsibility to edit the comments posted by their readers, and each do it in a certain way.
The Winnipeg Free Press will initially publish anything it seems, until someone either complains to the comment editor, or the offending remark is caught by a moderator and removed. I appreciate the way that the Free Press does this, even though comments can slip through the cracks that illicit hatred, racism, or are just plain stupid. I find many outrageous and ignorant comments here, but they are easy enough to ignore. The majority of people who comment on the Free Press seem reasonable, educated and polite enough to encourage discussion without too much school-yard name calling.
TSN is slightly different. It takes some time before your comment is posted and I would attributed the comment section more akin to a Facebook wall with random thoughts, insults or jeers than to a public forum for debate. Many people feel the need to make their point heard loud and often without any apparent regard for the headline they are commenting it on. To often have I read articles about the concussed Sidney Crosby, to find the comments centered around how and why the Leafs suck. I can only speculate, but it seems that TSN edits for swear words and racist remarks. Content doesn’t enter into their comment editing decisions.
Part of the problem could be poor grammatical skills among most TSN posters. I would bet that less than one and 10 comments are error free.
FInally there is CBC. CBC is regulated like any other arm of the government. It almost boarders on fascism to tell you the truth. Comments go through a strict screening before they are published, which can take up to a couple hours. It seems that any comment questioning the integrity of the CBC or the Canadian identity is rejected. (Comments bashing the Prime Minister are acceptable, just don’t imply that maybe Canadians aren’t as hot as we think we are) Unsurprising, shallow reflections are they types of comments that are published on the CBC. Debates do happen, but ultimately, anything with any sustenance is left on the floor. I know this because I have all but given up commenting on CBC stories and find myself visiting their site less and less. (There’s a PR lesson in here somewhere)
It’s not an easy job editing the comments on these sites- one I would not want. But I feel there is room to improve. The Free Press, though not perfect in my opinion, has found a good balance between constructive debate and moderation. Possibly because its audience isn’t a national source, feel offending comments can be edited after the fact, without to much detriment to their reputation.
The CBC and TSN are both losing their luster for me. Neither one really helps propel conversation and I would begin to lean on the side of stifling it. I would hope that eventually commenting on news pieces would become the norm for people to do, without resorting to childhood insults and bitter sentiments that plague these news sources.
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