Is commenting at on-line venues a right or a privilege?
It's a challenge for all on-line forums whether they be newspapers, broadcasters, or blogs (including this one).
What is free speech and what is just plain stupid.
I was reminded of that on the weekend reading the comments from the story in Abbotsford in which 40 were injured when the floor collapsed during a concert at a church.
40 injured and dozens of the comments were just plain idiotic. Obviously someone at CBC thought so too because a number of the comments were cleaned out.
I haven't deleted too many comments. Maybe a dozen and 11 of those were probably from the same person whose name I'll leave out but is familiar to many bloggers for clogging up their blogs with garbage.
My first preference is to pretty much let anything go but when it becomes way off topic, isn't courteous or is a long winded non-sensical diatribe, do I have to accommodate that? I wouldn't allow it in my house and if I was sitting having a coffee with someone who went off half-cocked, I'd move to another table. It's obviously a bit different for media outlets than an individual's own blog but...
By the way, our resident Attorney General blogger just realized property taxes in Fredericton suck. Lucky he doesn't live in Saint John.
Finally, thanks to kit who has been doing some guest blogging once again at Spink About It. Looking forward to hearing more from him.
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As for free speech, there is not a single "right" that people claim to have that does not come without restrictions. Americans have the right to bear arms, but walk towards a school with a gun in your hand and let's see how far your rights get you.
Before anyone can claim a right to free speech, there are two other R's that they need to be present - Respect and Responsibility. If you don't show respect for others and don't take full responsibility for your remarks, then I'm sorry, you have no right to speak freely.
If you did so in my house, I would kick you out. It's my right.