Online Comments - what can we do ?

[pshore]

I think we are all used to seeing anti-cyclist comments go past, but sometimes I find myself wondering if an anonymous comment has stepped over the line and what that line might be.

My personal approach is to try and counter comment or hit the dislike button rather than try to get the comment removed. Its a bit like inviting Nick Griffin onto Question Time and knocking down their arguments in public.

However, some websites are so poor (eg unthreaded replies) I feel that I can't counter effectively. A second option would be to write to the webmaster and maybe get that comment removed, but I am wholly at the mercy of the webmaster so it seems pointless. And, if I were to make a case to the webmaster or even police, what would that be?

Here's a recent example to work with:

Headline: Cyclist was racially abused by van driver court told
A Comment:
Is there a website where us ill-educated, right-wing chavs can donate money to help Mr Steele pay his fine? I think this gang of lycra louts will think twice before pulling out onto a road in future and for that we should thank Mr Steele. Proper lesson delivered.

(I think there is a debatable chance this comment glorifies violence and breaks a Freedom of Speech law. Its would take too long to prove though)

If this was on the one of the larger newspaper sites I think it would probably get removed, but on the CEN which is pre-moderated it has made it through and I doubt they care about morals as much as the BBC.

So the big question is can we (and should we) use some legal angle to get news sites to clean up their act. Are they culpable for hosting these comments ? Should the individuals be culpable and traceable ?

There are a minority of cyclist-hating drivers who will use their anger on the road and replay flavour of the month online comments - I have met them. These comments are not harmless.

What are your thoughts ?

 

[iAmiAdam]

Tis the tinterweb, everything should be ignored or bantered upon.

 

[downfader]

Ignore them, it's the internet...

Tis the tinterweb, everything should be ignored or bantered upon.

We ignore this at our peril. How many times in the news and on youtube have we seen cyclists clobbered. Its incitement and its potentially working.

As to solutions, I have no idea. Newspapers like that are trying to draw up a stink for their hits, hits mean advertising revenue.

 

[Tommi]

 

[pshore]

Ignore them, it's the internet...

I used to think that too, but having seen the online anti-cyclist trend spill out onto the streets I am changing my views.

Playing devils advocate for a mo, do you think it would be acceptable to have racist comments left online ? How about porn pictures everywhere you look. Where do you draw the line ?

In the old tv and print world everything was regulated. Our new internet world is unregulated and we are paying the price.

Perhaps again it is porn that will drive the future of the internet, with so many children accessing it perhaps that will drive the need for online regulation.

 

[Jezston]

Wait, you sure that site has all it's comments approved before they are printed? They read that and thought "yes, let's print that!"? Bloody hell.

 

[pshore]

Wait, you sure that site has all it's comments approved before they are printed? They read that and thought "yes, let's print that!"? Bloody hell.

I don't know for certain, but I have commented (too) many times and the comments always take time to appear, and will never appear outside of office hours. That is why I am convinced there is a person behind the scenes.

 

[Jezston]

I don't know for certain, but I have commented (too) many times and the comments always take time to appear, and will never appear outside of office hours. That is why I am convinced there is a person behind the scenes.

I would write a letter to the paper then asking if they are happy with whoever's job it is to approve comments allowing their paper to 'print' the condoning of violence and thuggery.

 

[Red Light]

If this was on the one of the larger newspaper sites I think it would probably get removed, but on the CEN which is pre-moderated it has made it through and I doubt they care about morals as much as the BBC.

Good old CEN, loves to hate a cyclist. Which is funny given that a third of their target market are cyclists. I never buy it or its offspring

 

[rich p]

Hey pshore, with a username like yours have you considered setting yourself on the pbeach like King Knut?

 

[iAmiAdam]

I used to think that too, but having seen the online anti-cyclist trend spill out onto the streets I am changing my views.

Playing devils advocate for a mo, do you think it would be acceptable to have racist comments left online ? How about porn pictures everywhere you look. Where do you draw the line ?

In the old tv and print world everything was regulated. Our new internet world is unregulated and we are paying the price.

Perhaps again it is porn that will drive the future of the internet, with so many children accessing it perhaps that will drive the need for online regulation.

It's not like that though, you get what you search for on the internet and you choose what links to click on. That's the beauty of it. Self regulation and moderation. If you don't like it, don't read it. No point shouting about something as it attracts more attention to it.

The amazing thing about the internet is that it isn't moderated. This allows things to be exposed, like the wikileaks scandal and things happening in Egypt and Syria. Obviously, the none moderation works in two ways and it will be abused. Your job as a user is to only search for what you want.

If regulation happens then that gets abused but we don't see stuff like you're referring too, we also don't see wikileaks.

The internet only works if you let everyone use and abuse it.

 

[pshore]

Hey pshore, with a username like yours have you considered setting yourself on the pbeach like King Knut?

'fraid that jokes gone over my head - I think I've been sitting in my internet hole for too long. A quick google tells me this is a reference to kbeach radio ? I am intrigued, but even if this was a funny joke, I've definitely ruined it now.

 

[pshore]

It's not like that though, you get what you search for on the internet and you choose what links to click on. That's the beauty of it. Self regulation and moderation. If you don't like it, don't read it. No point shouting about something as it attracts more attention to it.

The amazing thing about the internet is that it isn't moderated. This allows things to be exposed, like the wikileaks scandal and things happening in Egypt and Syria. Obviously, the none moderation works in two ways and it will be abused. Your job as a user is to only search for what you want.

If regulation happens then that gets abused but we don't see stuff like you're referring too, we also don't see wikileaks.

The internet only works if you let everyone use and abuse it.

I think your point about 'you get what you search for' is a very good one and covers a lot of cases, but there are times when you don't go looking. Like if you are reading a news article online and you look down at the comments.

If you read a racist comment on naziforums.com (I made that up) I think it is clear that view points are going to be biased in a certain direction. But on a general news site ? I don't think all people can make that distinction.

People (including the young) are heavily influenced by the world around them, and if we can't show our disapproval next to unreasonable comments, opinions and beliefs can get out of hand and extreme.

 

[rich p]

'fraid that jokes gone over my head - I think I've been sitting in my internet hole for too long. A quick google tells me this is a reference to kbeach radio ? I am intrigued, but even if this was a funny joke, I've definitely ruined it now.

Sorry, it wasn't that good anyway!

I was implying that like King Canute resisting the tide you are wasting your time fighting 'wrongs' on internet postings in an eqally futile but worthy attempt.

I was quite pleased with the shore/beach pun but then I am easily pleased.

 

[downfader]

With company or media websites by big news corps there HAS to be some kind of coporate responsibility. As others have said if you go looking you go finding, but this is not a case of that. This is a case of ignorance being given a voice by someone who should be coporately responsible.