Preparing to launch a “flame”.
A couple of things have happened this week that has made me look at this blog just a bit differently than in the past.
- I’ve had to ask for help for the very first time in moderating comments as I’ve run out of hours in the day. Thanks Jeez.
- I’ve had one of the most stressful weeks ever in trying to juggle all the workload with this blog, including a wildland fire that has made 5 of my 6 employees absent today. The phones are quiet at the moment and nothing had broken (yet) in our 50 or so servers.
- The realization that I’m going to have half a million unique page views this month
- Some very rude and juvenile comments were posted as of late by anonymous commenters, some of which I’ve simply deleted wholesale. Some I’ve banned. The trend for this has been upwards.
- I’m not getting other important work done, such as getting the surfacestations.org database updated as new stations are surveyed, and I need to deploy my Stevenson Screen paint experiment again. One of the screens has been damaged my a recent windstorm (knocked over, anchors pulled out).
- I’m falling behind in email correspondence.
As I review my time, I find that a good portion of it goes towards managing this blog. It has become a hungry insatiable animal. While I have no lack of material for postings, doing the moderation/management is becoming a bit much. It is often irritating as well as time consuming.
Faced with a choice of giving up blogging (as Roger Pielke did for awhile) turning off comments altogether (as Roger Pielke did when he returned to blogging) or changing the way comments are handled, I’m considering the latter.
One of the things that has always bothered me about blogging and commentary is that the “anonymous cowards” (as Slashdot calls them) generally have the upper hand. Science bloggers like Tamino and Eli Rabbet fall into the “anonymous coward” category, as do many of the rude posters here and elsewhere. Some like “Dano” and “TCO” have whole careers based on snark. Who are they? I don’t know/don’t care, as they are irrelevant. But, they waste everybody’s time nonetheless.
Being anonymous or using a handle allows you to say any stupid, hateful, inciting, derogatory, or otherwise negative thing you want and have no accountability for your actions. At the same time, your opinion or writings is generally worthless as it can’t be verified. Anonymity IMHO, serves only the purpose to allow bad behaviour while protecting oneself or one’s reputation from any real damage.
On the other hand, people that put their name out there with their work or writings, such as John Coleman, Roger Pielke, Joe D’aleo, Basil Copeland, John Goetz, Steve McIntyre, David Smith, Evan Jones, Jim Goodridge, Warren Meyer, and many others (I’m sorry if I missed anyone), including myself, often get viciously criticized for putting their word and reputation on the line every day for writing something they believe in.
The “anonymous cowards” that publish blogs or comments take no such risks when they criticize or challenge. They can work for NASA, be a member of the IPCC, work for a science organization, be a professor at a university, and can taunt, castigate, or criticize in any tone they wish, all without risk to their professional or private reputation.
So today, when I got some angry anonymous comments, one of which came from a NASA employee (which I know because WordPress.com automatically puts the source IP next to each comment, that’s not something I had to search for) it made me think about “why am I taking all the risks”?
Peilke and D’Aleo solved the problem by turning off comments. I like comments because they give myself and others new perspectives, but I don’t like the easy “drive by vitriol” that sometimes springs forth from anonymity. The commenter “MA” recently provided an example of the worst sort of that.
My father, God rest his soul, always told me to “stand behind my words”. I do that, by putting my name on everything that publishes here. I’ve taken a lot of heat for doing so.
So I’m considering this:
Change of policy – all commenters must use their real name and have valid reachable email. The name would be published, the email would not.
Sure, that will anger some folks, but at the same time it will also force those that wish to comment to choose their words carefully, to act responsibly, and to be courteous of others. It will also cut down on the volume of comments that need moderation.
I figure if you have something to say, and what you have to say is useful, factual, and important enough to add to the discussion, you’ll have no problem putting your name to it. Right?
Ok have at it. I’ll make a decision next week.
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Well I like the proposed rule in part because I believe it tempers my own immoderacy more often than I’d care to admit.
I think that your readers will follow you whatever you decide. Thanks for all your hard work. Here is my response to a snarky commenter on my blog:
—-
“Just so everyone knows, I deleted a comment that contained profanity. If you don’t believe that these enviromental policies lead to regulation of every part of lives, then you are going to have to come up with better arguments than “You are full of ****!”
That is not an argument that would win any debate, but it might make you feel better about where your political ideas actually lead.
Also, how much guts does it take to make anonymous comments on websites that you disagree with? I put my name on everything I write.”
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Well done Anthony, I have put my full name down in advance of your decision. I have not agreed with many arguments or points you or other users have raised but I have enjoyed reading and contributing and, above all, learning about this complex subject. I have gone from pro AGW to about neutral mainly as a result of your work and links fom other conributors. There have been unwelcome comments from other users on both sides of he discusion with far too many references to religion! It would be a shame to stop comments but I appreciate the demands on your time. I hope you can carry on so we can carry on enjoying the banter!
I say go for it Anthony, remember above all it’s your blog and you make the rules.
I value your time and effort, so you need to do what YOU want to do. Thanks. John R Bunt
I’m all for it Tony! As a matter of fact I spent the entire day today devising a method to reduce the incredible number of spam subscribes I receive each day to “The Mysterious Climate Project” (now at 3,000/day and climbing). The time I have to devote in maintaining the list’s integrity is simply keeping me from doing anything else.
I have no problem revealing my true identity to anyone (as I do with each post on your board).
Jack Koenig, Editor
The Mysterious Climate Project
http://www.climateclinic.com
Why not dispense with comments altogether? Most are a waste of time.
Just please keep your excellent blog going please.
Anthony –
First and foremost – this place is yours and no one else’s. Manage it as you see fit, the opinion and emotions of others be damned.
Second – I agree with your gut. While anonymity can be a positive thing at times (think about Benjamin Franklin’s pseudonyms before the revolution) but in the Internet age it seems overused and far beyond the point of benefit. If it is devouring your time for only to allow cowards to spew drivel at your expense, then you are perfectly justified to demand that they stand and be counted if they are to continue. The bravery of being out of range is something I’m sure that they’ll take to the next place that allows them. Good riddance.
Jimmy Fortuna
You should go further: commenting should be strictly held to members only. If a bonehead pisses you off for whatever reason, boot him.
This is your blog. I follow it regularly and it’s an inspiration. Don’t let kindergarten trolls ruin it. You don’t need their comments.
Anthony, you could also ask someone to moderate comments for you. Some of the higher ranked blogs do this.
Bottom line, it’s your blog! While I don’t have a problem with using full name, per se you may limit what information you do receive (referrals to information you might be interested in and may have missed) as there are still quite a few people who aren’t on a Google search yet and may not want to be.
Imagine trying to get a job and your boss decides you aren’t qualified because you agreed with Anthony Watts! Or, as that new Democrat video (Blue Balled) implies you might not get any action if you get Googled!
Of course everyone could just lie, but that is one step beyond being anonymous that many might not be comfortable with.
David
What am I, chopped liver?
I use a pseudonym because ,as a government scientist employed in a blue state, I would likely face retribution for what I believe are balanced views if it became know I was commonting here. While I am not quiet at work about the creep of politics in science, I have to be careful, particularly when speaking about climate.
That said, I do not have an issue with your proposed policy. I enjoy the content of the site and would continue to do so even if I didn’t have an opportunity to share my (mostly) irrelevant prattle.
How you control access to your private property is your business. Whatever decision you make will not affect my daily visit in the slightest.
I agree with you wholeheartedly concerning anonymous cowards leaving droppings in comments. Nothing will be lost by barring them.
A gradual approach may work the best, bar anonymous comments and see what happens. If you remain displeased with the result then eliminate comments altogether.
Thank you for your efforts and thanks to Jeez for helping out. If you need additional help, make the need known and it will be available.
I’ll miss flowers4Stalin and other cute names but whatever you decide since its your blog. I had to rake a rest break while typing my name.
I too very much enjoy the comment section and hope you can keep it open. Having everyone use their real name tends to keep the comments down as a rule, but we’re all professionals here and it certainly would not keep me from posting comments when the subject warrants.
Whatever you decide to do is fine with me, just keep the site going, the information is far more important than the comments. Thanks for all you do
jerry
Lawrie said: “Why not dispense with comments altogether? Most are a waste of time.”
If that is your opinion of the incredible amount of information others post on this blog, than all I can say is that you’re wasting your time. The contributors on this blog are some of the finest and most knowledgeable individuals, scientists, and researchers that you’ll find anywhere on the ‘net.
Jack Koenig, Editor
The Mysterious Climate Project
http://www.climateclinic.com
My first suggestion would be a comment registration which is generally closed, and only opened when you want, would cut the clutter, That way, new commenters could be placed in a quarantine and only allowed to post without moderation after a trial period. This way, valid commenters who have something to say and hopefully add to the discussion, would get ‘qualified’, while the riff raff would be held off. It should cut down the moderation effort.
Another suggestion would be to allow other commenters to moderate by flagging comments, which could then be reviewed and deleted as required. You can use the collective to moderate. You could do this from the beginning, let all who show up register, close the registration, and then let the users have at moderating the riff raff.
Comments and the discussion are very valuable for your blog, and I would hate to see them go away.
I don’t think the ‘full name’ will do much, tying it to an email may do more, but setting up email accounts is an easy task. Restrictive registration would do the most.
It’s your blog, it’s your call. Just don’t give up blogging I would rather you turn off comments than quit …
Sounds good to me. I have no problem using my real name on any blog. Your blog your rules.
Oh and congratulations on your blog’s success!
David
Anthony,
I encourage you do whatever it takes to manage your time sufficiently to be able to spend as much as possible with your family. After you’ve taken care of your family, yourself, and your business, then whatever time you have left over should be enough to manage this unruly lot.
Pull the cord and let ‘er rip! Just bear in mind that unless you alter the blog software to enable registration you will likely still have to wade through false names and emails.
Thanks heaps for putting yourself out there. Your blog is a must-read several times a day. I’d hate to see it be so consuming that you need to shut it down, so do what must be done. Make no apologies, particularly to those undeserving of one.
Cheers,
Earle
You are absolutely correct. Anonymity brings out the worst in people.
Just recently I realised that I didn’t like my own behaviour as a pseudonymous poster over at Metafilter; I closed that account and opened up a real one with my real name, picture, contact details etc. Now every time I’m tempted to get into a flame war or say something intemperate, I have to remember that everything I post is permenantly linked to my real life. Not only has that been a major positive change for me, but it makes other people react to me differently as they can see that I’m a real person. When you are rude to someone on the Internet, you are being rude in real life.
I strongly support what you’re proposing. There are a few (very few) situations where anonymity is important (whistleblowing etc) but commenting on blog posts just isn’t one of them. Make people responsible for their words. Make them accountable for their offensiveness. It makes all the difference.
Personally, I agree with your sentiments. I help to moderate a large forum, and dealing with the trolls can be very tiring.
However, I don’t see a lot of value in requiring use of ‘real names’ – because they can be faked, too.
I like anonymity. I don’t want people following me around (as has happened), nor explaining my posts to work colleagues or my boss (hasn’t happened.. yet)
How about restricting comments to registered members? That would be at least a stop-gap.
But its your site. I enjoy reading it – thank-you to you & your team.
On a more serious note. Don’t stress so much over this. You can always change your mind. The Internet is flexible.
At the very least make the posters IP address visible to everyone. But what ever you do would be fine.