Reminder on Respectful Discussions
February 10, 2025

We’re grateful for the energy and enthusiasm our community brings, but we also want to ensure that conversations remain respectful and inclusive for all.

Lately, we’ve seen an increase in behaviors that make it harder for others to feel comfortable participating, such as dogpiling on those with differing opinions, using dismissive or aggressive language, and escalating minor disagreements into personal attacks.

While our moderators will be more actively stepping in when necessary, we encourage everyone to pause and reflect on whether a conversation is constructive before jumping in. Flagging comments that clearly break the rules is more effective than engaging in an argument. A refresher on our community rules can be had here.

Finally, let’s remember to treat our moderators with the same respect we expect in return. They’re here to maintain a respectful and fair space, not to take sides over any particular viewpoint.

Thank you for doing your part in keeping this community welcoming for everyone!

 

Clarifying Our Moderation Practices
October 10, 2024

We’d like to take a moment to clarify our moderation practices in light of recent discussions in the community. While most of you come here to enjoy stories and engage positively, we understand there may be some confusion around how comments are handled, and we’re here to help clear things up.

• Why did moderators start censoring profanity in comments?
  Many readers expressed frustration with having comments deleted for language that seemed mild or neutral in context. To address this, we adjusted our approach to allow censored language that aligns with our community guidelines and a general “PG-13” standard. Instead of deleting entire comments, we allowed moderators to use Disqus’s built-in tool to censor obscene language.
• Will profanity in comments continue to be censored by moderators?
  No, we’ve heard from readers who prefer that their comments be deleted. Since we cannot meet all individual preferences, moderators will now just delete comments that violate community guidelines.
• What about Disqus’s Terms of Service clause that states “You are solely responsible for the activity that occurs on your account”?
  While we are no longer censoring comments, that is a standard clause across many platforms. Disqus also empowers site moderators to edit comments to maintain a positive community environment. Readers can always delete their comments, maintaining ultimate control, and all moderation actions are logged, ensuring proper documentation for Disqus and site admins.
• Why do comments get locked from editing?
  When a moderator edits a comment, Disqus locks it from further changes; this is not something we can control. Additionally, Disqus locks all comments after seven days, regardless of whether they’ve been edited. Readers can always delete their comments whenever they choose.
• Why are off-topic comments being removed?
  Our intention is to maintain relevant discussions. Off-topic comments can make threads difficult to follow and typically lead to misunderstandings, as well as the spread of misinformation or disrespectful exchanges. Striking a right balance between freedom of speech and a positive environment can be tricky. When we delete comments, it may come across as censorship; when we don’t, it might seem like we’re indifferent. Therefore, we’re aiming to be more consistent with clear and enforced community guidelines.
• Why do some comments remain even if they seem disagreeable?
  While some comments may be disagreeable or unpopular, they remain unless they contain personal attacks, hate speech, or violate our community guidelines. We believe that healthy discussions and diverse perspectives are essential for growth and understanding. Allegations against other readers should be supported by factual evidence rather than hearsay or personal bias.
• Why are timeouts issued?
  Comments that violate our community guidelines are typically just removed. However, repeated disregard will result in timeouts, with continued violations leading to permanent bans.
• Is critical feedback allowed?
  Yes! We welcome all feedback, positive or critical, and just ask that it’s communicated respectfully through our contact form. This allows us to respond, gather details, and keep feedback actionable. Sharing feedback in the wrong places often leads to misunderstandings without driving improvement. We may not be able to cater to every individual request, but we truly value all feedback and take it into account as we strive to create a better experience for everyone.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support. We’ll be expanding our FAQ to cover more details soon, so feel free to reach out with any questions. In the meantime, we look forward to getting back to our mission of sharing stories!