Living Room Comment Policy

Right there along with ROI is the negative and nasty comments issue.  People just hate the spammers and drive-by commenters that feel like they have put they use comments the same way graffiti writers use spray can. Kami has just posted 5 useful tips worth considering.

At this site, I use what I call the Living Room Policy. I've written about this before, but I think it is worth repeating.  It goes like this:

1. If I am throwing a dinner party in my home and you show up at my doorstep and I don't know who you are, I won't let you in. In short, with few exceptions, I don't allow anonymous comments.

2. If you do come in and you become rude to me or my guests, I will ask you to be nicer--once.  If you continue to be rude, you will be thrown out and you will not be allowed back in.

I started imposing this rule well over a year ago. In fact, I am convinced that it has reduced the number of hateful and inappropriate people trying to deface this blog.  I think it is a policy that would work for a great number of corporate bloggers.

Comments

[Amy Gahran]

That's a good policy, Shel

I read Kami's post too, and commented on it. I agree with most of what she said.

That said, I am aware that her excellent advice on how to maintain civil discourse on your blog could be misapplied by folks who delve into blogging before they really learn how to handle inevitable online public conflict constructively. That is, they could push the concept of civility to the extreme of trying to avoid the slightest appearance of conflict -- overreacting by immediately shutting down uncomfortable conversations.

I've seen that happen, and you probably have, too. It definitely doesn't yield blogs worth reading, or discussion worth joining.

I just wrote more about this issue on my blog, The Right Conversation:
- http://snipurl.com/yij7

I like your living room policy because it allows for people to get out of line once and then be reminded of the rules. It doesn't demand perfection off the bat. That's useful when you're dealing with real human beings, I've found. It always gets bumpy.

Best,

- Amy Gahran

[Kami Huyse]

I have always liked your living room policy. I think that it is true, our blogs are for public discourse, and even debate. But they are aren't for pure ugliness for ugliness sake.

You can also think of it as a front porch policy though and allow for a little more spirted debate; however, in Texas (where I live) is is legal to shoot trespassers (not that I agree with that of course), but the point I am making is that the blog is still the property of its owner. Keeping in mind, of course, that those who visit and comment often have blogs or social networks of their own. So, there is no sense in stirring the hornets nest unless you really mean too do so.

[William Stewart]

Good points. I used to feel bad when I deleted or banned abusive people from commenting, but I realized this is MY blog and I am king of my castle. It's been quite liberating.