When someone leaves a comment on your blog you don’t like, “Should the blog author be allowed to remove it?”
The choices are simple:
- Yes, of course the blog author can remove comments s/he doesn’t like.
- Yes, but only if they violate clearly posted guidelines (such as obscenity)
- No since blogging and commenting are conversations and people can’t make clear determinations about that conversations without full access.
Some might argue that if the anonymous commenter wanted to make a negative comment, s/he might have posted it on their own blog. That way, it wouldn’t matter whether the blogger found their comment objectionable or not…she couldn’t do anything about it.
Why should bloggers allow comments they disagree with?
- It allows them access to “erroneous” ideas they may try to correct.
- It presents them with the opportunity to explore their thinking on an issue that they otherwise might have missed entirely.
- It gives others who might not have said anything to speak up to refute an idea by the blogger or the commenter.
- It helps us all learn to appreciate that dissent isn’t bad.
Finally, I suppose the best reason is one that is captured in this 1859 quote from John Stuart Mill’s Essay on Liberty:
The peculiar evil of silencing the expression of opinion is that it is robbing the human race…if the opinion is in the right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth; if wrong, they lose what is almost as great a benefit, the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth produced by its collision with error.
–John Stuart Mills, “Essay on Liberty” (1859)
Should a person blog who has no interest in experiencing a “collision with error” as described above?
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I get a fair few comments that I would classify as spam. These generally take the form of a positive statement about my post and a link to a questionable website (e.g., get rich quick scheme; weight loss, etc.). The positive comment is such that it could apply to any site. It adds no value.I have no qualms about deleting them. If anything, there is an obligation to delete them. Thus, spam comments represent one category that is easy to identify and should be deleted.
I get a fair few comments that I would classify as spam. These generally take the form of a positive statement about my post and a link to a questionable website (e.g., get rich quick scheme; weight loss, etc.). The positive comment is such that it could apply to any site. It adds no value.I have no qualms about deleting them. If anything, there is an obligation to delete them. Thus, spam comments represent one category that is easy to identify and should be deleted.
What about snarky, anonymous comments? I want my little blogging world to be positive; I don't require that people agree with me, but I am downright tired of the anonymous trolls.
What about snarky, anonymous comments? I want my little blogging world to be positive; I don't require that people agree with me, but I am downright tired of the anonymous trolls.
As most bloggers do, I have at times struggled with this question. In the end though, one has to ask themselves why they are removing a comment. If you're removing a comment to protect your ego, then I think you're missing the point of publishing on the web. Although I do have comment moderation enabled on my blog, I publish all comments except those which are clearly spam. The comments of those who disagree with me are welcome as they challenge me to further evaluate my ideas.
As most bloggers do, I have at times struggled with this question. In the end though, one has to ask themselves why they are removing a comment. If you're removing a comment to protect your ego, then I think you're missing the point of publishing on the web. Although I do have comment moderation enabled on my blog, I publish all comments except those which are clearly spam. The comments of those who disagree with me are welcome as they challenge me to further evaluate my ideas.
It is certainly interesting for me to read that blog. Thanks the author for it. I like such themes and everything that is connected to them. BTW, why don't you change design :).
It is certainly interesting for me to read that blog. Thanks the author for it. I like such themes and everything that is connected to them. BTW, why don't you change design :).