On NPR today, there was an enlightening (that is sarcasm) article regarding the move by many websites to introduce tougher moderation on the comment sections. Apparently, website editors have developed a keen sense of the obvious and have discovered something that anyone that's ever been on the internet has always known - comment sections are asshole magnets.
It is very idealistic to think that a non-moderated comment section is going to always breed intelligent debate and discussion. It is rare to find a non-moderated site that lives up to this ideal, and even those that are moderated to a certain extent rarely attract stimulating discourse. The majority of the time, when a troll hasn't thrown the apple of discord into the fray, you find the lowest common denominator spewing what amounts to regurgitated dog shit onto the boards. Aggression is easy when one is sitting on the other side of a computer monitor and protected by a made up name.
Not that there is anything wrong with that. I don't use my real name on this blog because it allows me to write more freely about issues that might spark unfriendly debate with people I would rather not debate with. I certainly wouldn't want to put my real name out there for someone to track me down and lynch me, whether it's because of something said here or anywhere else on the internet. Privacy has it's perks, and in the case of the comment section asshole, it allows them to show their true colors without consequence.
Honestly, I look at this trend toward stricter moderation with mixed feelings. I majored in Philosophy, which is a field that created the rules of debate. Those are rules that I respect and appreciate, because they do allow for an intelligent exchange of ideas. I love a hearty and heated debate that once over, even if the parties involved agree to disagree, and they usually do, can leave no hard feelings. I would love to go onto the comment section of any news site and learn something new. Stricter moderation on many sites will allow for that.
Stricter moderation also helps to maintain the integrity of the website itself. If one goes onto the Fox News comment section, they might come away thinking that every conservative in America is a racist, homophobic, religious wing nut. While Fox News is "fair and balanced" if one is a conservative, this is not the image that they probably want to project. While racist, homophobic, religious wing nuts are overwhelmingly conservative, not all conservatives fit that mold either. Likewise, CNN commenters would have one believe that the whole of their readership is made up of patchouli wearing, tofu eating, Communists. Again, not every liberal fits that mold, but patchouli wearing, tofu eating Communists are generally liberal, and as with Fox, it is those types that tend to be the most aggressive, rude, and in need of moderation. They reflect badly on the site itself. Don't get me started on the people who comment on the MSN (both US and UK) site. Let's just say that they make the whole of the MSN readership seem like glue sniffers.
What a typical commenter on MSN might look like.
On the other hand, heavily moderated comment sections could eventually eliminate a huge guilty pleasure of mine. When I see that the assholes have taken over a comment section, I don't contribute, for any reasonable posts either get shouted down or lost in a sea of retarded. There is no chance of debate there, but there is great opportunity to pass the time laughing one's ass off. Comment section assholes are sometimes pure comedy gold when they aren't tearing down your faith in humanity.
I suppose all we can do is wait and see what this new trend toward stricter moderation brings. I don't think that the comment section assholes will be eliminated entirely, and have a hope that I can participate in intelligent discussion on any given comment section one day - but I would be lying if I said I didn't get a kick out of things as they are.
You bring up an interesting point; privacy. It makes me wonder why people will say something—feel more “secure”—when there is some illusion of privacy. Though I am just as guilty of not posting my name anywhere this does give me pause. We are our words, if we cannot stand behind them—openly—what strength do they hold? Does this just become another example of simple idle chatter? Isn’t posting something online, to a world open to basically anyone—minus the N. Korean’s, Chinese, Pakistanis, and Iranians—an action looking not to be private. Your post opens many questions.
ReplyDelete-S
You bring up a good point. Speaking for myself, anything I write under a pseudonym will be defended whether my name is outed or not, because we truly are our words, and I take myself seriously enough to not waste my time, if I am going to post something online, to not just say something for the sake of saying it. I hold myself to that standard if I do comment on someone else's website. Not everyone does - sometimes, people feel that they cannot stand behind what they say openly because it is not something that they would say even to the people closest to them, whether it be negative, or something that simply has the potential to ruin their lives or career. The internet has afforded them the opportunity to safely express themselves - or at least somewhat safely, because no, we are not necessarily shielded in privacy. For those people, this is the only option. It is a way to express something in public that they otherwise never could.
ReplyDeleteThis is not something limited to comment section assholes. Look at the popularity of Post Secret. There are things that people really want to share, not necessarily idle chatter or a hateful view, that they simply can't. While we as a society should always be allowed free speech, sometimes, our own lives prevent that. There is still strength in saying what needs saying anonymously, but I think that the strength lies in context.
When I mentioned in my post that some of those commenters were pure comedy gold, I meant that, but there are certainly those that aren't so funny because their words, anonymously stated, makes me think that I could be living next door to a person that would wrap themselves in hatred. You always know that they are out there, but when they show their true colors on the internet, it makes it all the more chilling.
The idea of not taking responsibility for your words (or your actions, but that's another rant), whether you're anonymous or whether you're shouting your name, does not compute. I just do not understand people who can.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's because I'm a pretty poor speaker, especially when it comes to debating, but my written word is a different matter entirely. Perhaps I'm just feeling that they're belittling *my* media...how silly is that?
Post Secret is something else entirely...I mean, there's a world of difference between telling your darkest, shameful secrets just to get them off your chest and being a twatwaffle to someone whose views differ from yours. Though I think some people find it hard to equate the words on the screen with an actual, breathing, feeling human being...or they just don't want to.
I guess I kind of went off on my own little rant there. But I think there are enough places on the internet where you'll be able to find moderation of every level. After all this: "Comment section assholes are sometimes pure comedy gold when they aren't tearing down your faith in humanity." is true for a lot of people (including yours truly...hell, why do you think I lurk in the Something Awful forums so often).
~The Retart
I know what you mean. It doesn't compute for me either, but as you said, there are some people that see that separation. They may mean what they say and know that standing behind it is "retarted", or they may just be out to throw the apple of discord, which yes, is mostly different from Post Secret, but careful, because there is a thread of similarity on some of those secrets that get sent in. People admit to doing some twatwaffly things!
ReplyDeleteOf course, you bring up the detachment issue, where they are living an online Walter Mitty existence, and those are the ones I just can't comprehend at all.
I do get a kick out of reading them (I should join the SA forums finally, really), and a lot of times, after the laughter dies down, I honestly try to figure them out.
Did I even make sense. I need to go eat.
LOL ... The Retart. That is classic.
LOL, that's twice you've mentioned the Apple of Discord...you do know my login name in a lot of places is Kallysti, right? ;) (On SA, it's "Kallisti Applecore")
ReplyDeleteAnd true, there is a lot more gray area than I alluded to there. I'm pretty out of it, myself, today.
~Retart
LOL... I just made that connection with Kallisti now that you've mentioned it. ;) I do think of the troll as throwing it in, though, then sitting back and watching.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm not sure that there is a right or wrong answer on this, honestly. You and S have brought up some very good points. The dynamics that exist on the internet are new territory in terms of psychology and philosophy.They do deserve exploration.
I'm way out of it today.