Taking the Pulse on Anonymous Commenting
We’ve been getting more and more requests from readers to eliminate anonymous commenting. (The topic has also been on the front-burner because of a certain article this week.) There are clearly major flaws with a system that allows commenting without accountability, but doing away with it carries its own set of drawbacks in the form…
We’ve been getting more and more requests from readers to eliminate anonymous commenting. (The topic has also been on the front-burner because of a certain article this week.) There are clearly major flaws with a system that allows commenting without accountability, but doing away with it carries its own set of drawbacks in the form of diminished information flow, opinion and overall energy on the site. We’re curious to know how the community feels about the issue so please take a moment to fill out this survey and chime in below.
Thanks,
Mr. B
p.s. Just to clarify, just because you register, and comment under, a username, does not mean that your true identity is on display for the world to see. It means we can easily block a disruptive commenter, or contact him/her by email about bad behavior. It also means that other readers can begin to associate comments over time with a particular online identity, theoretically improving the ability to carry on discussions.
BrooklynLove,
They could easily create a new registration.
Step 1, go to Google and create a new gmail account.
Step 2, come to brownstoner and create a new account — 10 minutes to a new identity…
I think the posting community at Brownstoner is too small and transient to support registration and that it really won’t improve the quality of posts to make people get a username.
At least add the ability for logged in users to toggle off guest comments. And give us avatars- people love avatars.
if you get rid of anon commenting how could the shmucks then hide from their idiocy once confirmed by future events?
@bxgirl:
I agree with keeping the same system–allow people who want to register to do so and allow guest posting.
I see the value for some people in being able to track all of a certain poster’s comments over time to get a sense of who they are. For me, I worried it was TOO easy to get a sense of who I am. I used to comment here (very regularly) under a handle, but realized that if you looked at my posts over time it was easier and easier to figure out who I was. (Not for the whole world, but for associates, people who read me elsewhere, etc.)
So I wasn’t comfortable giving out info (about my house, my living situation, my financials) under a handle. But I can do it freely anonymously. And that kind of info about fellow Brooklynites, to me, is what Brownstoner is VERY useful for.
1:34- I think a better registration system would have protected CHP from that happening. And most people should be aware of how much info to put there. Maybe the best answer would be to basically keep the same system- let those who want to register- with a much better registration system, do so, and allow guests. But add moderators- and set rules. I find a lot of the back and forth is healthy and fun, and real. But a lot of stuff is unnecessary and when we all get off into the insults and namecalling and garbage throwing, it does nothing for us or for brownstoner. A good moderator knows where to draw the line and that’s all I’m asking. This used to be a great site for discussion and information and community- I want that back.
bxgrl
People who think that user names will make people “accountable” for their comments obviously aren’t very familiar with the internet. This is a blog, people. Internet identities, including user names on Brownstoner, are easier to produce than farts. They will produce zero accountability.
Besides, I have been surveying a large number of old threads and the bulk of the garbage comments come from commenters who are in fact posting under user names, not as guest. My suggestion, Mr. B, is that you take a more careful look at some of your regulars. Jettison a few of them and these other problems will resolve themselves.
150,000 readers
One or two or three spam posters
Force 149,997 readers to register to combat three spammers?
If there was a way to identify commenters as a renter or owner it would pretty much solve all problems with this site.
they did that at gothamist
traffic dropped
and the quality of discussion is horrendous