Ok I don’t know how this will go over. I am not even sure this post will see the light of …screen? But after months of being offended and disgusted I had to say something. NJ.com, as well all know, is supposed to be the go to site for news in and around our area. As the official website of our own Star Ledger I expect to see stories about Mayor Booker, Pru Center and of course crime. No problem there. Even with its reduce staff NJ.com has worked to keep content fresh. They even allow residents to upload community news.
However, whoever is in charge of monitoring the site needs to scroll down and read some of the degrading, ignorant and downright abusive comments posted by NJ.com visitors. There’s nothing worse than reading a story about a child who was brutally murdered then reading comments which read “one less scumbag on the streets”. Now I know you can’t stop people from submitting abusive comments but someone needs to decide what is appropriate. If you think I’m exaggerating go on over to nj.com and read some of the comments under the stories… go ahead I’ll wait. Now I can appreciate the value of allowing readers to comment on stories however, I can do without all the racial stereotypes, the slander against community figures and the dehumanization of victims and even alleged criminals for that matter. Note to NJ.com, take a look at how GlocallyNewark.com monitors comments you may need to tell your readers to SHUT UP!
August 26th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
while I have seen tons of unbelievaly stupid comments on NJ.com I wonder if this becomes censorship and then leads of accusations of being biased.
August 26th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
interesting. @parkinon halsey- yes, there is a freedom of speech/censorship issue, but still some things cannot be said. A lot of websites have ‘buttons’ that allow you to report a comment that is inappropriate, so how is that any different? I believe NJ.COM should exercise more…taste to say the least.
August 26th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
Well I actually do not have a login for NJ.com because I know I would spend the whole day there fighting people. I have noticed it draws alot of race related comentary as well as very specific and vulgar attacks on people. I think this articles comments point it out so well:
http://blog.nj.com/njv_mark_diionno/2009/08/listening_for_the_voices_of_re.html
Not only is this the most commented on article, you will notice even the reported gets drawn into the back and forth arguement. What I found most notible is the lack of control of the posters, anyone could post anything without proof or censorship, even personal crude comments.
August 26th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
I also am in dramatic need of the java plug in that does spell check as I write, my god.
August 26th, 2009 at 9:54 pm
Amen!! I could not agree more! It furious me when I read some of the posts and it seems like most of them wait for something bad to happen in Newark and then BAM! there they all are posting about how bad it is. They never post on anything positive. I cant stand it, and have called them out on it plenty of times. But ignorance is difficult to change.
August 27th, 2009 at 8:12 am
Ok two things here.
1) You can’t make people stop saying what they want to say no matter what you dislike nor disagree upon. Everyday we are loosing more and more of our rights to freedom of speech. I don’t agree with all the racists comments but if you pull that off they your pulling away someones rights of free speech. I wouldn’t want that pulled from me so don’t pull that from them. Period. If people start saying certain things can’t be said than what your doing is pulling those important rights of an individual. This is why this country is the greatest in the world is because you can say really negative comments and most of the time come out without a scratch. Again I don’t condone racist type of behavior but I can’t take away what’s constitutionally theirs.
2) Here is more of a fix. Pull the comments out meaning don’t let anyone comment on any of the articles and let people judge for themselves remember we didn’t have the internet for a long time nor this option until recent years. If it get’s to the point it becomes out of hand than honestly we don’t need it remember they are a business and they have the right to pull the comments section completely but then again doing this is a bit Ironic coming from a news source that is all about freedom of speech.
In conclusion your not going to be able to pull out all of the hate comments nj.com is between a rock and a hard place. Even though they do pull comments from the forums or close certain discussions that get away from the subject they can’t do all of them nor keep on eye out on everything there there to give the people a voice an opinion. They question is do you want someone to take your right of freedom of speech? Neither do I. All we can do is ignore and keep on the subject no matter how much we hate the comment because the minute you acknowledge it your just as bad because your fueling the fire.
August 27th, 2009 at 8:28 am
@ Ironbound, the comment section on NJ.com is abused. The comment section is for readers to comment on the articles not to grandstand, spew racial epithets, slander individuals etc. If you want to do that get a blog, go to the forum section etc. I think NJ.com absolutely can and should remove inappropriate comments. They have a responsibility to maintain quality of site. Remember, it is a news/information site. Just like GlocallyNewark previews comments and advises that not all comments will be posted NJ.com needs to do the same.
August 27th, 2009 at 9:16 am
I think nj.com really says a lot about the state of mind of the people in N. Jersey.
It’s noting new, this has been going on for years. Check out hardball politics on the forum, it’s like fox news sheep running wild.
August 27th, 2009 at 9:20 am
Dinean,
Thanks for this timely and very appropriate article, which, itself is a much-needed intervention in a public conversation that is too often racist/sexist/classist. I will not argue against one’s right to free speech, but I will contend against any manner of speech, free or otherwise, that acts against others’ senses of self and humanity. I would rather folk clearly articulate their hate, at the least, or shut up althogether.
August 27th, 2009 at 9:24 am
And, sorry, I meant all together…lol.
August 27th, 2009 at 9:39 am
>Everyday we are loosing more and more of our rights to freedom of speech.
I disagree entirely – please cite examples where our free speech is being taken away. Even if NJ.COM were to closely monitor and delete all comments that might be offensive, it would not be censorship nor take away anyone’s rights. NJ.COM is a *privately* owned website!
August 27th, 2009 at 10:05 am
I think NJ.com provides an interesting example of what happens when a blog and or comment section run away. I can imagine a newspaper is sensitive to the idea of censorship or being baised but there is a tremendous amount of hate speach that is perpetuated there.
I must admit that it’s one of the few places where people seem to be honest about their beliefs (wether they be racist, clasist or otherwise). The medium has changed dramtically and the open forums can be viewed as both good and bad. Personally I wonder if it is in our bet interest that a reporter spend so much time defending their work. I can see the strain it places on reporters such as Mark Diionno who must be fealt personally hurt by such attacks. I wonder, what is the brand that NJ.com wishes to have, is all information and unmonitored content? I have noticed more blog style articles and more opinion pieces making their way in, is that a good thing or bad thing? I must say I fear for our way of receiving news in the future as someone must be held responsible for reporting the news in an acurate manner (as for fair, I think thats relative).
August 27th, 2009 at 10:32 am
another tear to our civil liberties.
August 27th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
@NOH8NJ Don’t get me wrong I totally agree with you but for you to say nj.com “They have a responsibility to maintain quality of site.” is true but to actually have workers go threw every single comment is outrageous and nearly impossible unless they higher a huge staff just for it. No matter what you think what they should or shouldn’t it’s out there and you can’t stop everything and for the things that do slip by you need to ignore it it won’t help confronting the situation trust me I know.
August 27th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
This “freedom of speech” debacle is too widely thrown around these days. The fact is, just like we as individuals have the right to free speech and expression, the owners of a website or newspaper or radio station reserve the right to censor content that they feel is inappropriate in their media. The right to free speech only involves the GOVERNMENT-SANCTIONED suppression of speech. The right to free speech does not guarantee the right to free advertisement of your ideas or free access to methods of expression. Period. You have the right to free speech, but if I own the method of providing the content, I have the right to SQUASH your words. If someone doesn’t like that, they can take their filth to another site or buy their own hosting and domain name. NJ.com should learn this simple lesson.
As a Newark lover and liver, I am appalled by the slander the city receives but even more so appalled by the VERY FEW miscreants giving the world outside of Newark a reason to speak. We should be more concerned with ending this vicious cycle of violence that the VERY FEW perpetuate to elevate our city to the greatness it deserves to be viewed with and less concerned with the ignorant blathering of bytes on a computer screen. Peace and love to all Newark.
August 27th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
I don’t read nj.com for lots of reasons.
It is too anti-Newark for my taste, ironic since they are in Downtown Newark.
August 27th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
@Ironbound I think that’s a cop out. In the life of a story there may be between 20-35 comments max they usual plateau around 15. Previewing them b4 posting is something that can be assigned to a team of interns. NJ.com needs to figure it out.
Also, I must confront the situation. Doing nothing is not an option. That is not my style.
August 27th, 2009 at 7:35 pm
@NOH8NJ totally agree re:slander, racist comments. @ what point is the line drawn?
@Donny- I agree with you also. Seems like they spend too much time on the negative.
August 28th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
I have stopped reading NJ.com because of the un-controlled and un-monitored comments. It’s as if some people have nothing to do except sit and wait for an opportunity to make ignorant comments. I’ve noticed it particularly with stories pertaining to Newark. But let there be a good story and they have nothing to say. Freedom on speech is one thing–hate filled racism is another.
August 29th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
It seems people say stuff on there because they can…and not because they actually want to throw out an idea/opinion.
amazingly, you don’t see the same type of looseness on other blogs as you do on nj.com. Why is that? Because they are regulated. The workers who ‘throw out the comments’ are called ‘Moderators’, and it is not uncommon.
nj.com comments section has because tasteless.
August 29th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
my last remark should read : nj.com comments section has ‘become’ tasteless. (and it has)
August 31st, 2009 at 12:13 am
@NOH8NJ “Cop out” or not facts are facts. You can’t stop everything it just won’t happen trust me I know I work in IT and know people who run forums there are ways to write things and still get your point across even though it’s wrong. No matter what technology nor amount of people you put in front of the screen all day you can’t stop everything it’s impossible. You will have to deal with it or go somewhere else to get your news it’s very plain and simple. Also you couldn’t hire enough Interns to read everything there is over 100 forums. Good like getting those interns to read it where are you going to put them. Trust me it’s not as easy as you think. No forum online is perfect. End of this discussion.
August 31st, 2009 at 12:19 pm
NJ.com is a privately-owned site and, as such, it has the right to create standards for its commenters and apply those standards. For example, prohibiting profanity is a completely acceptable standard. As a private site, NJ.com is not a public forum that must provide commenters with freedom of speech. Nonetheless, it can certainly allow for open and articulate dialogue, just by applying simple standards.
Additionally, you may be interested in the NY court ruling last week that “outed” a Google blogger who had slandered a fashion model on her blog. The judge ruled that the “victim” had a right to know the blogger’s name so that she could sue the blogger for “slander/libel.” This is a healthy reminder that, despite the cloak of anonymity that the Internet seems to bestor, we are all responsible for what we post and should try to only write that which can be verified–in short, the truth.
August 31st, 2009 at 1:28 pm
This whole scenario is very true. NJ.Com in my opinion focuses only on the Newark area in general, because they know that “homicide” is the Hottest thing. Never mind the 44 count indictment that just took place involving Mayors..Millionaires..and they dare not speak about it.
Another thing I want to point out is that in the Classified section of the Star Ledger (even though Im currently working) there is an “on-going” ad looking for writers, which is only a scam for people to log on to the site.
August 31st, 2009 at 4:21 pm
If ever I need reassurance that ignorance and intolerance is alive and well in NJ, all I need do is go to NJ.com and read the comments.
I notice a lot of them come from people who don’t even live in the city. IMHO: if you’re not part of the solution, you are most definitely part of the problem, and furthermore, if you don’t live or work in Newark, you don’t have the right to say ANYTHING negative or positive about the city, because you lack perspective. Some of the comments there are horrible, and I get very angry just reading them. Ugh. I can just imagine what was said when they ran the piece about the curfew w/ its accompanying picture.
I have complained numerous times to them, even going so far as to ask if anyone moderated that site at all. Apparently, they don’t. Why even offer a “report this comment’ button? Jeesh.
August 31st, 2009 at 9:28 pm
I understand the outrage about the NJ.com comments. Anyone can comment and of course the invisibility allows the paranoid to do so! I look at Youtube comments and sometimes they are just crazed. I live in Newark so I really do not understand the crazed comments. I am sure censoring is an issue that the StarLedger thinks about. Obviously comments are only put in by anyone who registers, at least. A “report this button” could be OK. as a long time advocate, I know that all sorts of things bother all sorts of folks. Just bring up gay issues and folks get nuts! I got rid of my TV so i dont have to watch it but the news feeds are full of wingnuts with guns at town halls and that AZ pastor talking about death to our President. I would phone the police or at least the psychiatric emergency folks if I heard that talk in real life! LOL, actually thank God i live in Newark and not in AZ. I cannot imagine! thanks for the dialog!
September 1st, 2009 at 2:32 pm
I think NJ.com is a product the of the Star Ledger as an orginzation. Lots of ideas and opportunties and certainly tallent but poorly organized and searching for an identity. Seriously, who wouldn’t kill for a web address NJ.com for their site. I think the ledgers parent company need to plug into the succesfull micro sites out there and see what can be mimiced or merged to get smaller more responsive and leaner.
September 1st, 2009 at 6:06 pm
IronboundA is right unfortunately. And so is parkingon halsey.
Bottom line IMHO is that NJ.com will eventually suffer for the poor organization of its site. It’s just awful in general. (Unless there is some unforseen miracle) the ledger and the .com will tank even more than they have.
And as Newark continues to progress that site will be seen as the place to get negative news – they are (unwittingly?) branding themselves that way. The upside is that it will continue to attract those negative people and hopefully keep them away from those of us who haven’t taken up racism as a hobby.
September 2nd, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Sorry, but I still disagree with Ironbound. No one is advocating stopping every single comment, but NJ.com had DOZENS of comments that wouldn’t fly in PLENTY of other blog sites.
Working in IT does not an expert make. It doesn’t take an expert to see the differences between NJ.com and the various other threads that are regulated. Otherwise, why would this even be discussion if it was so common?
EXACTLY, it WOULDN’T.
September 6th, 2009 at 1:30 am
This has got to be the longest thread in the short history of glocallynewark right?
September 23rd, 2009 at 11:11 am
To all of the above,
ironically, you are all right.NJ.com must learn to balance freedom of speech with decorum and sensitivity particularly to the families of the deceased and or perpetrators of violent acts that seem to be the subject that generates the most comments ,negative and otherwise. I am a frequent defender and responder to the racist and stereotypical slander that poses for fact- and observational evidence of cultural behavior of Newarkers (i.e. young Black and Latino males), I even know who the worst offenders are that chomp at the bit every time there is an article about murder/crime/public housing posted. But they could care less, because the internet has become the preferential vehicle of choice for the newly empowered anti P.C. anti Immigrant,anti ethnic minorities and anti, President Obama. To qoute Aldous Huxley “this brave new world” frightens those who truly believe that the White Male is the superior being and God’s agent on earth to contain and stop the “Mongol Hordes” from taking over and upsetting the balance of power and the status quo. Unfortunately, it may be the beginning of this paranoid backlash, due to the decrease in white family birth rates and the exponential explosion in child birth of women(Latino) of color.
I applaud Dinean,and the rest of you for weighing in on this critical issue, that seems to be a harbinger of the near future where opinion is accepted as fact,facts as fiction, and meanness and insensitivity deriguer.
November 17th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
It’s not a freedom of speech issue because the owners of the site can set whatever standards they see fit for what sees the light of day on their page. The poster can say whatever they want, just not on someone else’s website. That’s why it’s not a “freedom of speech issue.” I don’t understand why they wouldn’t just employ moderators for the site just like any other site that cares about what content hits their page.
November 17th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
OH! and BTW- MOST website moderators are volunteers, interns, assistants with an extra moment, etc. It does not take much time or energy otherwise the THOUSANDS of sites that use moderators would obviously not use them. It’s a small price to pay for integrity.
February 16th, 2010 at 2:37 pm
The problem is deciding WHO will pick and choose which comments stay and which must go, that’s tricky.