Introducing a new (long in the works) feature on Queerty: comment flagging. Next to each comment, you’ll notice a link to “flag” it. If enough readers flag the same comment, it’ll be submitted for further review by Queerty. It’s our community-organized way of keeping the site an open forum for readers while limiting abuse. How does this work? Well, don’t flag a comment simply because you disagree with somebody’s opinion — you wouldn’t like that done to you. But does the comment contain hateful language? Does it contain needless profanity and offensive slurs? Is it completely off-topic? Is it spam or an ad? Then flag it. We won’t remove differences of opinion or constructive arguments. But Queerty’s comment threads are not dumping grounds for anyone’s hate speech or sad attempts at provoking backlash. There’s Blogger for that. (And is the flagging system not perfect yet? Let us know. We’re working out any kinks.) Update: We’ve also added a “@Reply” feature. Now respond directly to any specific comment by clicking the “@Reply” link. A link to the comment you’re replying to will automatically appear in the text box, making it easier to track who you’re conversing with, like so. Replying to multiple commenters? Simply click “@Reply” on each comment to include links to them in your response.
Flagging Comments
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Kid A
AAAHHH! Thank you!
ChristopherM
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!
Jack
– How many people flagging a comment are considered ‘enough’?
– Do you really, really, seriously think people aren’t going to abuse this feature and flag EVERY comment they don’t agree with, or comments posted by someone they dislike?
– How about an apology for all the times you’ve failed to act on the sickening racism and abuse posted recently? You must have noticed this, and failing condemn such messages is as good as condoning them.
David Hauslaib, Queerty
@Jack:
– The number will fluctuate based on testing and usage. Comments that are successfully flagged are not immediately deleted; they are removed from the site and sent to our moderation queue for further review to Queerty editors, who will make a call whether to delete or re-publish the comment.
– I have faith in Queerty’s readers that they’ll use the feature for the right purpose. In the 60 minutes that the feature has been live, a number of posts have been flagged — and all for proper reasons.
– You’re right. The offensive comments that we’ve allowed to be published are pretty disgusting. For that, I’m sorry. The flagging system is a step in the right direction, and I hope Queerty’s readers will use it to keep comment threads full of healthy discussion, not hate speech.
Tim
Yes, this is a great idea!
As for abuse of flagging, it won’t really matter too much since, if I understand correctly, there will be a human in the loop and the flagging only alerts the human to look into the matter. Also, abusive flagging could count (and add up) against a specific IP so consistent abusers of flagging (as well as abusive posters) could be banned by IP. I think that would be a great augmentation to this idea. That way, this could still be an open system and would at least get rid of serial offenders.
Okie
Thank you. This is a much needed and welcome change.
Jack
Thank you, Mr. Hauslaib, for such a prompt reply, especially after such a deafening silence from your side of the screen on the matter recently.
I appreciate the right to freedom of speech, and I certainly don’t support dictatorial censorship – however, I do feel that a sooner and stricter response from you over these past few weeks would have been appropriate.
Allowing such overt and ugly abuse to be posted unchecked for so long doesn’t present the website, or it’s visitors, in a flattering light. I know such views don’t represent the vast majority of the intelligent people who take part in discussions.
I do hope the new system is a success. Judging from people’s responses so far, it’s been long overdue.
reversion
wow, took long enough
The Gay Numbers
Thank you. Between the racist comments of some posters and the obvious anti-gay trolls, I thought this site could use a little, not a lot, of moderation. Free speech is wonderful, but when it’s all just inflamatory comments then it quickly becomes a place people don’t want to visit. I’ve seen that happen on other sites. So, again, cool by me.
Phil
Standing upon principle, I don’t like it. Racism and bigotry are basic rights, and while I understand that the intarwebs is basically a dictatorship, I still think that we should model ourselves on ideals. Besides, it’s not like internet racism has much real world effect. (I mean, okay, we’re angry for few minutes or so. So what?)
The Gay Numbers
@Phil: Free speech has its limits. Are you the type who thinks its okay to yell fire in a crowded theatre? I met guys and girls like that in law school.
Peter Pan
@David Hauslaib, Queerty: Our liberty depends on freedom of the press, and that cannot
be limited without being lost.
–Thomas Jefferson
You say “We won’t remove differences of opinion or constructive arguments.”
Who is going to be the decider?
It is telling that you have introduced censorship with the start of the Obama / NWO era. There is going to be lots to be criticized during the Obama presidency, especially in view of the selection of his chief-of-staff (check out his daddy’s history etc.) and it looks that you have chosen sides. Maybe not surprising!
(“STOP TELLING ME BOUT THE CONSTITUTION, it’s only an old piece of paper. GW Decider.”)
Once again:
Our liberty depends on freedom of the press, and that cannot
be limited without being lost.
–Thomas Jefferson
I wish you guys well but won’t comment here anymore.
My View
@Peter Pan: I’m with you Peter Pan. I see from the comments so far (excluding yours) that the sheeple are truly lost and want a sheepdog to guide them. Sad!!!
Bad Idea Qweerty!
zeitgeistmovie.com
zeitgeistmovement.com
Note to Qweerty: Although Peter Pan and I use the same email address we are separate entities. One of us is a very well know celebrity, that’s why we use a shared email address.
michael
I can see this being used to rid these threads of things that are stupid, or some of the childish fights with abusive name calling
but its going to be interesting. I have my doubts but I will give it a chance. Here in Vancouver a very popular site almost died when it implemented this. its pretty difficult to decide things like what is racists and what is not. What is designed only to inflame and what is not. This is not exactly a site that attracts PHD’s so again it will be interesting.
My View
@David Hauslaib, Queerty:
Just as an afterthought: No one forces anyone to read any comments.
To protect sensibilities why not introduce a system of one nickname per email address and a button where individual readers can ban certain nicknames? This way all comments from a certain person will be hidden from readers who banned the nickname and will still be available to the rest!
That would be more ‘Freedom of expression’, democratic and 21st century like than your archaic ‘Iron Rod’ CENSOR system.
If your system does not allow for this, CHANGE IT!
My View
@michael:
The ones terrorist is the other ones freedom fighter! I rest my case 🙂
Wolf
Bravo! Diva!!
Great Addition Queerty!
CitizenGeek
This is a great idea! Well done, Queerty!
Alexa
Thank you.
To the people complaining, this has nothing to do with freedom of the press. That would come into play if someone was trying to censor the blog posts themselves. The New York Times doesn’t publish every letter to the Editor.
My View
@Alexa:
Yes, I bet the New York Times does not publish every letter to the editor. But they do publish the once they WANT to publish.
Besides, this is a blog, NOT A NEWSPAPER!
“To the people complaining, this has nothing to do with freedom of the press.”
By what authority do YOU make the above statement? I’m interested!
“That would come into play if someone was trying to censor the blog posts themselves.”
I’m confused. Not to publish or removing published comments is not ‘censoring the blog posts themselves’?
Better start again, girlfriend!
Dubwise
Please do be aware that this is a double edged sword.
It might cut down on some of the homophobic and racist trolls….let’s hope it helps keep the dialogue open and civil.
tallskin
DRAT, does this mean I can no longer call Bill Perdue a trail of cholera infected and reeking anal slime???
Damn.
Wolf
@PROTECT MARRIAGE AUSTRALIA:
I find that ironic coming from you. Austrailia HAS NO Set Freedom of Speech Rights.
Australia has no Bill of Rights like in the US. The Australian constitution deals with the processes and institutions of government rather than limitations on governments. It divides duties between states and federal government etc. however, depending on who you talk to, there are some rights implied in the constitution, for example it is argued that the assurance of regular elections is an implication of the freedom of speech and of opinion. Secondly to this there have been subsidiary laws passed such as anti discrimination laws that protect some basic rights. Essentially as you can see there is no body of law that directly deals with the issue of Rights it is a complex field that covers many arias of Australian law and is subject to interpretation.
Can we say…..OWNED
Vinman
Thank You! Thank You!
PROTECT MARRIAGE AUSTRALIA
@ #23
I’m well aware of the Australian law – what we aim to do is to prevent ballots passing same-sex marriage and adoption. are you functionally retarded or something?
Wolf
@PROTECT MARRIAGE AUSTRALIA:
Brillant comeback. NOT
ChristopherM
@My View:
Yes, this is a blog, not a newspaper. It is also a privately-owned entity that does not have to give a forum to hate speech or anything else it doesn’t wish to. It is only censorship if it is government interference with speech.
As for what this will do to the commenter community here, I know I have left off and on for weeks at a time because frankly it just becomes no fun when you come on here for lively debate and instead are forced to slog through and fight off the vile racist off-topic comments of certain people. It defeats the purpose of the comments section, it takes the fun out, and I’m glad they are finally doing this.
My View
@ChristopherM:
Dear Christopher (lovely name by the way),
I know this blog is privately owned and the owners can do with it what they want. Absolutely! But in the end you might (will?) find you end up only with people who have the same ideas or agenda. HOW BORING! It might KILL the blog! Real life will pass you by and what’s the point dropping by at a blog that’s always the same and sooo predictable? I like different views and I’m quite able to ‘kiss, sorry, kick arse’ when needed.
Anyway, just my view.
msim
Thank you so much Queerty. I had just sent an e-mail this week requesting something of the sort from the editors. Mille mercis!
I have a feeling this means I’ll be able to read comments without feeling I have dropped in on a KKK website.
Curiously, on your sister site “Stereohyped” one rarely encounters a homophobe; while racists abound on Queerty.
We can disagree and argue without being violent, rude or hateful.
Ray
oh god, they’ve given power to the people
burton21
THANK GOD. Highly doubt we’ll see Churchill-y’s blatant racism polluting the boards for much longer.
Kdogg
THANK GOD!! AN ANSWER TO MY PRAYERS! FINALLY WE WILL COME TO QUEERTY AND HEAR ABOUT GAY ISSUES AGAIN AND NOT RACIAL RANTS AND FEUDS!
Bobster
so much for diversity. what a boring site with all the lemmings saying the same thing. so much for freedom of expression.
Tim
Censorship is when a GOVERNMENT suppresses the speech of a particular person or group. Last time I checked, Queerty was not a government.
Snoodle
Thank you so much x.x!
Beej the Pink Sheep
I think it’s a great idea.
I LOVE Queerty, and I enjoy reading and leaving comments.
Queerty is a fun/informative site. I think this addition will ensure it stays that way.
I’m not sure why some of you are getting so bent out of shape. It’s a very small change. A good change.
Phoenix (Nelly One A One Fag Mission, Not The Pale One)
Where the heck was this a year ago!
Honestly, it’s about time!
Jaroslaw
Perhaps if I was a target of some of the bad behavior on this site, I would have a different opinion but as it is, I don’t think there is that much bad behavior on these boards. Flag ads, sure. It would be nice if it was as simple as deleting only comments as moronic as “homos are evil” “and the Lord Jesus Christ said (actually nothing about homos)”…. but there is always a slippery slope of deciding what is ok and what is not.
I for one want to hear the other side but I do understand it goes overboard sometimes. But that is also the price of freedom for all – hearing things that are insensitive, mean etc.
just my opinon………