When I have wanted to see if a story is breaking online, ahead of the print version, I have started checking VCStar.com, and have found some stories I was interested in. I also noticed that they list the number of comments a story has gotten, and so, being curious, I have checked out those too. The website even has email comments to Letters to the Editor.
I have been shocked about how viscious some of the comments are! It seems like some folks are taking the ability to post anonymous comments as a green light to say anything!  And why back up opinions or statements with facts?  When commenting about people, including political candidates, posting an anonymous email is a really easy way to commit character assassination. It really feels wrong to me!Â
I believe that internet commenters to a newspaper should have to use their own name, just like in a Letter to the Editor. Please, let’s have some veracity standards for what is printed. That is why at the www.ConejoPost.com, we moderate all comments before they are posted. We welcome lighthearted comments, but, especially for critical comments, we require that they be backed up with facts, reported events, or documented with a newspaper article (but not an online newspaper comment…).
Posted by Janna Orkney
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