There has been a few complaints since Derek Draper posted on Labour List explaining that the comment moderation policy would be ruthless and that in "order to ensure an insightful, engaging debate we will also place other comments judged to be grossly unintelligent or obtuse or trolls in our trash can."
The thing is, for those complaining it is not strictly true, if you have a look at the post and go to the end of it there is a tick box that says "show trash comments". Check it and you get to see everything that has been considered "unintelligent or obtuse or trolls" of which some are not.
Is that censoring? No. Is it a bit stupid to let people see what you arbitrarily reject? Probably.
UPDATE: Click here to see all the comments that got deleted on Peter Mandelson's post which argues that in "new media command and control doesn't work". Oh the irony! Even Tim Ireland's perfectly reasonable comment got canned.
12 comments:
The whole process is futile, though. Comments are being trashed for no reason other than some leftie (or rightie!) has gotten miffed. There is no way that comments policy is going to lead to any kind of discussion.
Plus, the content is the usual New Labour propaganda bollocks, so it's not worth reading.
Dizzy, one of my comments has "disappeared". I don't know whether this is incompetence or by design...
WV: martion
Some chap called AJJM who challenged the factual content of Mandy's post had his comment trashed.
Wouldn't actually want Labour to actually have to tell the truth, eh?
Dizzy, the trash can is meant to function like that.
LL can permanently delete comments (illegal content etc.), but a lot just get thrown in the bin.
It saves anyone sensible having to reply!
I realsie that, I'm just not sure it is exactly wise to have such a feature because you're going to show everyone how many comments you consider when really they are not.
Take for example Tim Ireland's comment. As much as he and I may have our differences his comment was not obtuse, or unintelliegnt or a troll.
I find LabourList pretty hillarious. While I think the 'show trashed comments' thing is quite a nifty function that is at least better than trashing the comments in their entirity, when you look at the comments that have been trashed it is very revealing.
Fair enough, they have trashed a lot of 'why are you such a wanker?' type comments (personally I would allow these anyway for the purposes of free speech, but each to their own). But they have also trashed some pretty valid questions about Labour policy, along the lines of 'does the state need to engineer "fairness" any more than it does already?' and suchlike. This gives the impression that Labour can't take criticism. If they want to shake off the impression that they are debate-adverse control freaks, they should stop being so light fingered on the trash button. But of course they won't.
Is there EVER going to be a leftwing blog that engages in a decent debate and has a sense of humour?
I thought I would have another look at LabourList to see if it was getting any more interesting. It's really pretty dreary.
All I can see is exclusion, alienation, control freakery, and a desperate desire to be 'modern'.
What's with the 'troll' paranoia? It doesn't make any sense to me. For example I am not a Tory. No way. Never have been. Does that mean because I post on Iain Dale or Dizzy Thinks that I am technically 'a troll'? I don't think so. I often disagree with Iain and Dizzy but they always have the good grace to interact in an inclusive manner.
Perhaps that is why Tory blogs are usually interesting and Labour blogs are generally boring. I've never even looked at a LibDem blog - although they might be getting a protest vote from me in the next general election.
I think Derek Draper should stop being so negative and try to listen to alternative points of view. Perhaps that is what is wrong with the Labour Party at the moment. They simply don't listen.
Mandleson starts his article with the usual 'First let me make something clear'. You know immediately that it's going to be either downright lies, spin or just bollocks.
I taught Draper everything he knows.
;)
Well he's definitely deleting my comments now. As far as I can tell I haven't violated his comments policy.
Well he's definitely deleting my (and I imagine others') now - they're definitely not going to trash
A load of my stuff has not been published - not even as 'trash'.
He's Definitely deleting stuff...
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