Right - I am sorry it has come to this but I am now switching ON comment moderation so your comments will not appear on my blog until I have read them. I've resisted doing this for a long time because I find most comments are reasonable and considered, the occassional one or two that weren't I would delete when I noticed them.
This last week I did exactly that - I spotted a comment I was not prepared to leave up and I took it down. Suddenly I had a barrage of comments demanding to know why I had removed it, including from people who I had specifically asked not to comment on my blog any more. Among the wilder accusations were that I was failing to provide an "open forum" and "What is the point of having a blog in which only your views can be aired?". Well the simple answer is - it's my blog - the whole point of it is that my views can be aired. Many blogs don't allow comments at all and even more moderate comments as I'm going to. Anyone can have a blog - go right ahead, set your own up and fill it with whatever the hell piffle you like.
I often leave up comments that I disagree with. I often respond to points made. I plan to continue to allow comments of all kinds. However the following will not be allowed - so you know:
1) Offensive remarks about specific people/groups. This includes sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism and classism and nasty unjustified personal attacks on individuals or organisations. Obviously.
2) Lies and distortions.
3) De-railing. If I'm writing about violence against women and you want to know why I haven't mentioned violence against men I can only say THE CLUE WAS IN THE TITLE! Why not ring up the cats protection league and demand to know why they don't help dogs? I have better things to do.
4) Blatant attempts at advertising (unless it's for cool stuff - e.g. new ace feminist blogs or events - that I am happy to promote).
5) Whatever the hell else shows up that I don't want to publish. For instance totally reasonable considered intelligent comments from people who I have asked not to comment here.
So my apologies to all my commenters who want to say reasonable things. I will try to approve your remarks as quickly as I can. Perhaps in a few months I will be able to remove this restriction if it scares away those who are causing the problem. Thanks!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
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3 comments:
Sounds perfectly reasonable. I know you're not afraid of conversing with those who disagree with you. Congrats, that this is necessary obviously means your blog is getting a good amount of traffic!
It's fair enough Kate, like you say it's your space.
Can I also just say that I wish I'd thought of point 3 myself and written it on my blog, whose comments I moderate too. Made me laugh it did.
Good stuff - I wouldn't feel bad in the least about it, if you have to you have to.
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