To Register or Not to Register
We’ve been grappling with the issue of registration on the site. After a particularly frustrating few weeks at the beginning of the summer handling some aggressive troll activity, we began requiring registration in order to post comments on the site. We’ve had mixed feelings about that decision from the beginning. Is the increased civility worth…
We’ve been grappling with the issue of registration on the site. After a particularly frustrating few weeks at the beginning of the summer handling some aggressive troll activity, we began requiring registration in order to post comments on the site. We’ve had mixed feelings about that decision from the beginning. Is the increased civility worth the foregone informational exchange and sense of community? Last week we solicited reader feedback on the topic and the majority of readers who commented were in favor of keeping it. Of course, this isn’t too surprising given that you had to register in order to comment! Anyway, we are very sensitive to readers who had their online identities appropriated and to those who prefer the greater accountability that comes with the consistent use of recurring handles. However, on balance, we don’t think it’s worth it.
We were interviewed last week by a local paper and were asked what the most positive surprise had been for us since starting the blog. As we were giving our answer–the incredible diversity of the readership and the frankness of the discussions on such issues as race and class–we realized that this is precisely what we had sacrificed in starting to require registration. Brownstoner.com would not be the site it is without its core group of readers and commenters, most of whom readily signed up for the registration process and continued to post regularly. However, the lack of interplay with less frequent contributors changed the energy of the site in recent weeks. To any of you who have been following the reviews of the new book called The Long Tail, this should not be a surprise.
We hope that those who have registered already will continue to sign in and use their regular handles; what will naturally happen, we think, is that those comments from people who are logged in will carry greater weight in the dialogue and that anonymous comments of a dubious nature will be taken less seriously. Plus, anyone who’s logged in cannot have his/her handle “stolen”. It’s rare that we’re away from the site for more than an hour during the day, so if you see a comment from a troll, rather than giving him the satisfaction of responding, just ignore it: We’ll be deleting it soon.
We hope everyone can respect this decision and try to do everything possible to create a courteous and constructive atmosphere on the site.
Respect,
Brownstoner
I have not been following the discussion of this topic lately and I am wondering if someone can fill me in. I gather there is a troll on the site, but I am confused as to what this means, because in folk lore trolls are re-known for hiding under the bridge and stealing children (such as witches do also) and hoardeing money. (unlike more bennine tyopes such as the gnoam and the wizzard, say). In terms of the site I guess you are referring to a unwelcome guest whose been embezeling money from banners and advertisments? (I am not sure merley speculating.) Obviously the troll is a mythological figure found in fairy tales and folk lore (hairy and ugly with great brutish stregnth, canibalistic as well) so I believe in this contest it is merley a metafore. Then again maybe the fairy tales’ instructive in so far as how to get rid of them. For example in the Grimm’s Brother’s they would trick them with leaving a trial of bread crumbs that led to a cliff then push him over when he reached the ledge. Then the people rejioced as there would no longer be afraid of him, I guess this is sort of like what you are discussing in terms of deleting his posts in a way. Anyhow for what its worth…just thinking out aloud basically, perhaps some of these ideas can be put in to use.
I’m glad that registation is no longer required. The site had become rather censored and uniteresting.
Please, people, try to retain at least a weak grip on reality. I am sure you could track this guy down, but what would be the point? Last time I checked, there was no law against being an a**h*le. Has he assaulted anyone, or stolen anything? He is a freaking troll who was lucky enough to have stumbled across you people, and believe me you are low hanging fruit for a hungry troll.
Linus, thanks for the heads up. That is so simple I never saw it. I’m trying to get it corrected, and hopefully it will be successful. When I created the account, I thought I was careful to not have my name on it, the registration asked how you wanted your id to appear, as well as said no information would be revealed. I stupidly believed it. I guess it’s ok to be paranoid when they really are after you. Thanks again.
they were stomach-churning. I’m sure there is a way to track him but it’s probably very complicated. Takes a techie, I’m sure.
I guess I’m not fast enough to keep up with the troll, as I have not seen any of these hideous pics or not, but there has to be a way to track the troll and get an idea of who he or she is…I mean, someone could be sending racist pictures, etc. from their office. Doubt their boss would like that.
As an “Anon” poster of pre-registration days, I, too, noticed the lack of energy and diminished diversity of opinions being posted in the past few weeks. On the other hand, I hesitated to register because I just found it to be a bother, so I didn’t “bother.” I was not a frequent poster to begin with, but I enjoyed the opportunity to participate and to comment freely on subjects of interest to me or subjects where I might have had an old-timer’s insights to share. I’m pleased that the registration requirement has been dropped, so I’ll probably resume posting from time to time. I find the blog very interesting and informative, and I’ve learned a lot here even though I’m a life-long b’stoner. As for the trolls, I guess we’ll just have to be careful to keep our guard up and not fall for their inflammatory or sinister motives.
Need further proof registration was a good thing? Look on the brownstonertroll blog where the troll has again posted a link to some awful picture using my handle. Nothing is worth this aggravation. So now we go back to the same old same old. Interesting that on other blogs they talked about how bad the postings were getting. What kind of rep is that to have?
Don’t like arguing with the troll?
Fine.
Don’t argue with him.