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Friday, May 2, 2008
Guidelines for Community.GJSentinel.com
Some of you who read and participate on Community.GJSentinel.com, our user-driven website within GJSentinel.com, know that we’ve had a some problems with civility in the discussions that go on there.
Those problems have caused no small amount of discussion in the newsroom. Some of us think the site at times has been out of control. Others think such sites should be free-for-alls and require little if any moderation.
So we decided to let a committee of fairly young staffers decide what our policy should be. The thinking was that they are more savvy in the ways of the online world than some of us who are a little — no, a lot — older.
The group got together yesterday. They listened to my thoughts, along with those from Editorial Page Editor Bob Silbernagel, GJSentinel.com Content Editor Todd Powell, GJSentinel.com Content Coordinator Chris Froese and Managing Editor Laurena Mayne Davis.
Our recommendations were all over the board, from do nothing, to moderate the heck out of it.
The committee, which included Feature Writers Sam Stiles and Melinda Mawdsley, Reporters Mike Wiggins and Mike Saccone, Intern Alex Carlson, Action Desk Reporter Richie Ann Ashcraft and Assistant City Editor Duffy Hayes, took their job seriously.
Here’s their report:
1) Community.GJSentinel.com should be moderated to a degree only because it is tied to The Daily Sentinel/ GJSentinel.com brand.
2) If a comment meets any of these conditions, then it may be taken down:
Profanity.
Words that incite violence or criminal behavior.
Libel.
Hate speech.
3) When a comment violates any of the above conditions it may be taken down with no explanation on The Daily Sentinel’s behalf.
4) Registered Community users may express concerns or questions regarding other member comments to a designated email address. The Daily Sentinel does not have to heed the user’s advice unless it meets the above conditions. We understand user moderating already exists.
5) Editing of user comments must be all or nothing.
I think those are thoughtful recommendations and we’re going to follow them. They will soon be posted on the site.
