CFN – Free speech and media comments are a hot topic as we are about to enter 2015 and we at CFN have been innovators in that area in this region.
We are proud to announce our new comment policy on CFN which will take place as of December 7th, 2014.
At that time all those wishing to comment will have to do so posting their names. Your email address will have to work as we do checks to verify. While there is no one system that can be 100% perfect in this world we think it’s important to have vibrant, lively and occasionally even intelligent and thought provoking feedback and comment from our valued users. There will be no further anonymous comments on CFN.
Those who have registered a pseudonym with us prior to that date as per our current rules will be grand-fathered in.
Again, we encourage and value the contributions of you, our amazing viewers, but commentary sections should be more than troll caves.
If you have any questions you can email us at info@cornwallfreenews.com
Thank you again for reading Cornwall Ontario’s favorite newspaper online!
(Comments and opinions of Editorials, Letters to the Editor, and comments from readers are purely their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of the owners of this site, their staff, or sponsors.)
Comment policy reminder
CFN suggests you post comments using your real name. If you wish to post with a pseudonym you can register that user id by emailing info@cornwallfreenews.com with your name, address, phone number and user id you wish to register.
Why don’t you just use Facebook comments? It would make validation way easier
We want 100% control over comments. I am not a facebook fan after what they did to my account last year and it’s simply too easy to play games with user id’s there. I also want immediate access to ip numbers if needed by police and not have to go through FB.
I think this is a great idea. The conversation on here is usually much more mature then on the other newspapers and the lack of anonymity will reinforce that. Unlike what happens elsewhere. In my opinion though, I don’t think anyone with a current pseudonym should be grandfathered in.
testing 1 testing 2
What are you testing Marc?
Trevor….some of us use pseudonyms with valid reasons. In my case my wife works for a local municipality. I will not put her career at risk due to comments I make.
I’m sure all those who use pseudonyms have “valid” reasons. My opinion is that it should be a level playing field across the board.
It should Trevor. We’re doing our best to be fair for all and to be progressive. As the handful who are registered fall away over time there will be less and less.
Not that I comment much here, but this will be my last. I enjoy CFN, read it daily and recommend it to a lot of people because it offers another side of the stories in our community. We all know how SF is. But I’m not looking to be shamed or have the police come and question me because of my opinion. The grandfather clause on this new policy is rubbish. We should either all have anonymity, or none of us. It’s not right and I think it’s going to rub many people the wrong way.
So if I understand Mr Jamie because i registered and gave you my home address and email my comments will be allowed. In my view Hugger 1 and Furtz are member in good standing who don’t go after people unless politicians and to me they are fair game.
A lot of my comments would affect the career’s of family members. Trevor wants a level field but its only a first name in my humble view is no different than “Hugger1”
SF seem to be losing to CFN on many fronts. An editorial by Hugo had only one comment and that was Mr jamie. The “local” paper is slowly running mostly stories from far away and even local stories have photos that are from sun news. LOL a recent editorial talked about Cornwall bridge yet showed one from another city.
I have long history of feeling people shouldn’t post all details on Facebook as it can cost you your job. A media adviser for a republican congressman just lost her job for posting bullying comments about the Obama children
Mr Jamie:
Your so right about facebook not being the right platform. They have hundreds of angry customers who can’t get their pages registered because they only allow cel phone numbers..no cel..your out of luck and try to get a human to talk to at that company.
One last note after getting my credit card stolen I bought a program that changes my IP address daily so google and crooks can’t log my every keystroke.
My card number call centre seemed to think it was funny that somebody bought a stereo in England and booked a trip to Sweden “somebody is shopping early for XMAS” hardy har…now i have to change my number with every company i deal with and they wanted to charge me $25 to fast ship new card. When I asked “You want me to pay” then a pause..the agent then said OK we will waive the fee..it made me wonder “{not sure who the crooks are”.
Jumpin cripes while I am sending winter clothing to the brave Kurds fighing isis killers in Kobani(Stalingrad) our MP guy lauzon uses my TAX DOLLARS to send me a Christmas card that is auto-signed..how bloody tacky!!!
..But you’ll put someone else’s career at stake, won’t you Hugger? Just use your real name. Enough of punching people in the dark. You’re right on the money Trev.
When have I ever put someone else’s career at stake? Jamie said we can use a pseudonym. so I do. I refuse to put my wife’s career at risk by using my full name. If it came down to using my full name on here I’d probably have no choice but to leave. I will not use my full name and put my wife’s career at stake over things I comment on.
But I see you’re not using your full name either Devon. Time for me to stop being a punching bag for people who have an issue with me using a pseudonym. If it’s good enough for the Freehholder and CFN then it’s good with me.
Please note that CFN like all media reserve the right to refuse any comment with our without a name. We ask that our viewers not make personal attacks against each other. Critique the comment; not the user. We are here to inform and entertain. Thanks
Melman….thanks for the support on the pseudonym issue.
Congratulations Jamie! The only ones who need to be “Anonymous” are those who have nothing to say anyway……
Because I live in an extremely conservative and “God fearing” area, I would NEVER post political or religious comments using my real name. Life is too short as it is. In theory we enjoy free speech, but in the real world, exercising it would be foolish and very costly.
Furtz do you live in Afghanistan? What exactly are you worried about?
I agree 100% with Furtz. That is why I use a pseudonym.
Jamie, can you clarify: Under the new comment policy, are both first and last names required or just the first name?
Either way, I have no problem giving my whole name if that is required. I feel that leveling the playing field by requiring a “real” name will cut down on a lot of the finger pointing, name calling and unsubstantiated comments by certain commenters. There can be plenty of trash talk found elsewhere if that is what turns one’s crank.
Trevor for those not grand fathered a first and last name will have to be posted. The email will have to work to as we’ll be testing them.
Greg, I live in rural Leeds-Grenville. It’s the most conservative, Christian, white, racist and xenophobic place in Canada I’ve ever experienced. Now that I’m retired it isn’t as big an issue, but I have family and friends to consider.
Hugger your welcome
I base my support for you and Furtz based on your track record and you have EARNED your protection.
People boasting about using their full name look no further than the loss of jobs piling up due to Facebook posts using all your personal details
One local man lost a really good job for posting info about mike Duffy. He may not have realized how this would come back to bite him but bet it has ruined his life.
The way people can track on the internet I would never allow my full story online unless i was running a news organization like Mr Jamie
A man from Toronto was on this site. People used his full name to learn of his family history in Cornwall. A death was involved and people started to use this info to attack him although it wasn’t his issue. So post your full name and live with the results. As Hugger says speaking here isn’t worth one second of tumult for my family as nice as this place is.
I can assure you Melman, I am not boasting. If It becomes a level playing field for all, I have no problem using my full name.
The example of the man who wrote about Mike Duffy on FB, unfortunately did himself in. I work in a hospital. I am sure that he, like I and all other hospital employees are well aware of the hospital’s privacy policies. These are made abundantly clear. Commenting on FB about how you saw someone at Walmart is quite different then commenting on seeing someone at a hospital when you are a hospital employee.
This is the very reason that people should not be allowed to post anonymously, as the anonymity enables a person to abuse there right to free speech and make unfair , unsubstantiated, slanderous comments or disclose personal info with out being held accountable.
In your second example about the man from Toronto, If I am not mistaken, those people who attacked him were the very ones who used Pseudonyms. I bet that would not have happened had they been required to give there full name.
Once again thanks Melman. There are numerous reasons why someone would want to use a pseudonym. In the case of yourself, Furtz and myself (and probably others) it is to protect family members. As you have said due to things happening on Facebook people are losing their jobs over things they post. Some may see it as hiding behind a keyboard, I see it as being smart in protecting ones self anf their families.
Comments posted on any site only have a certain level of anonymity. If a comment crosses the line into actionable libelous or criminal territory, the author will likely be tracked down and dealt with.
Without anonymity how many scandals (government, private corporations, etc.) would go untold? Please do not confuse anonymity with whistle blowing. I saw so much waste of money and scandals when I worked for the federal government I lost count. But upon meeting with my union rep it was decided not to proceed. Management would not investigate anonymous complaints. And if you attached your name to a complaint (whistle blower) you were kissing your career goodbye.
Hugger, what is it you are protecting your family from and who? If you have something worthwhile and factual to say, then what is the problem? It is not like you are going to be “whistle blowing” on a daily basis.
Hugger people can still contact CFN at info@cornwallfreenews.com with tips. They just won’t be able to post anonymously.
I just don’t see the need for this first and last name policy, when every single comment is read by admin before it is posted. What is really going on here? And to have a grandfather clause for it? Why is hugger and fertz so special? Why does my anonymity not matter? Are we not as valued supporters and consumers as they are? Again, this is wrong and I am very disappointed with the decision to have such a policy.
My wife works for the city. I have been known to criticize on CFN how / what things are done. I will not have any repercussions come down on her due to things I say. THAT is why I post using a pseudonym. I have seen how whistle blowers are treated here in Cornwall and in the federal government. A friend lost his job in the federal government (even with union intervention) due to his reporting of inefficiencies in his unit. A lot of times they say one thing (oh yes, you’re protected), and the next thing you’re out of a job. Need an example? Try Diane Shay.
Jerry it’s not about you. It’s our new policy that we chose. Just like if you post on the Freeholder or anywhere else there are terms and conditions.
CFN has been an innovator in viewer commentary. This is part of our innovation. For the few that are registered we are grand-fathering them in at this time. If we see issues with that we will evolve further. Change should never be punitive. It should always be about improving things.
So for those that haven’t registered you will have to post with your first and last name and with a functioning email address. No system is perfect, but we want people to feel safe posting and frankly I’m tired of some of the stuff I read from Anonymous trolls.
Thanks
All or nothing Jamie. People who want to be taken seriously have the integrity to use their own name. We all have something to lose by participating in open on-line discussion. I made the change ’cause I don’t like the person I become when I use a fictional name. Pseudonyms are for internet dating and porn sites. Be true to yourself. It’s quite liberating.
Devon thank you for your feedback. You can lead the way by posting your first and last name please as we have just removed you from the grand father list 🙂
Thank You for the opportunity Jamie.
Some people just don’t get it. It is not just Furtz and myself, there are lots of others who post with a pseudonym. Anonymity is important for some of us due to varying reasons. For myself, Furtz and Melman (& probably others) it is about protecting family members / friends from repercussions from their employers. If you think that doesn’t happen think again. IT DOES!!
Furtz… I hear ya. I guess you don’t need Gord Brown and a pickup truck full of rednecks throwing bricks through your windows. Do you dare put up Liberal election signs? My sister lives in Brockville… I am very familiar with Eastern Ontario having lived the majority of my life there and it’s hard to find neutral ground.. you either have to live with the French Supremacists or the English Protestant bigots. I’m kidding. Sort of. Although I hope to retire back in Eastern Ontario, I do find society far more inclusive out here in Alberta. Maybe the absence of forced bilingualism and availability of decent wages makes us all equal.
Yes Greg. Alberta in general is way more progressive and inclusive than this particular area of eastern Ontario. Every province has its pockets of bigots and intolerance, but Leeds-Grenville is the biggest one I’ve ever seen. And I knew Gord when he was a rich-kid party-animal in Gananoque. I’ll say no more.
The lynch mob is circling. Who will survive?
Stand strong Hugger1 people using real names attacking you prove editorial view of New York Times
“So eventually, all that may remain is a group of goons who are perfectly comfortable posting hate speech under their real names” NYT
“And even worse, many great commenters with innocent reasons to withhold their identities begin to self-censor, and then abandon the comment threads entirely.” says NYT
The Paper of Record New York Times says requiring full names is the worst policy
Mr Jamie: This is NOT an attack on You..its your site your allowed to try new policies
From Q&A with CNN and NYT moderators
What’s your take on anonymity (meaning having no identity vs. having a username vs. requiring a real name) and how it affects your comments?
BE: In the past, we did see real identity as the key to ensuring a more civil comments space. It makes perfect sense in theory – after all, who would say such awful, hateful things in public with their names and job titles attached?
Turns out the answer is: An enormous amount of people would say awful and hateful things with their names attached.
And even worse, many great commenters with innocent reasons to withhold their identities begin to self-censor, and then abandon the comment threads entirely.
And even worse than that, the hostile readers who remain make highly personal insults toward the pictures, names, jobs and families of innocent commenters. So eventually, all that may remain is a group of goons who are perfectly comfortable posting hate speech under their real names, while all of the socially functional human beings decline to post comments, for obvious reasons. Even if some of those people still read the comments for entertainment value alone, that’s a long-term death spiral for a community.
More facebook follies
“Toronto police want board chair to quit over Facebook post”
Mel there are lots of paradigms and challenges. If we see this isn’t a positive improvement we’ll adapt again 🙂
Thanks Melman.
I may not always agree with Jules and others on here. But the attacks on anyone not using their full name has to stop.
Mr Jamie:
I think you have already proved that by allowing my comment to be posted.
Indeed There are all kinds of viewpoints but only using my real first name doesn’t invalidate mine and I appreciate your grandfather clause.
But it did seem that people were already ganging up on Hugger1, who I don’t always agree with, but his comments usually aren’t attacks on people and think losing his views wouldn’t be helpful.
deepest thanks
Mel
Winston Churchill said that it took courage to stand and be heard and I tend to agree with that statement. I do not have a problem with your policy change Admin, in fact it may very well elevate the caliber of interaction and opinion.
It will however be suffice to say that some not willing to abide will be missed but CFN will survive.
Well David we lost Stella and a few others when I made the big change last year. While we did have less comments I think the overall viewer experience was better.
We take feedback and people can email info@cornwallfreenews.com any time.
Admin I have never been afraid of having an opinion and speaking my mind for all to either savour or spit out it is the thought police that I worry about. With any luck I’ll be dead before they catch up to me.
Thouhgt police?? “Another Brick In The Wall!!
David, as long as you keep posting old time true-blue conservative views, you have nothing to fear. It’s the people who think a bit differently or don’t conform to the status quo who run the risk of retaliation for speaking out.
Cant help but think that the new comment policy will severely limit any meaningful political discussion on this site.