Update on policing ADN blog comments

A follow up to last week's post about comments, from managing editor Julie Wright:

For the most part we've seen a significant reduction in the number of offending comments. You'll see a few comments posted about how we're deleting the comments we disagree with. Some say we're doing it because we don't like Palin. Some say we're doing it because we're "in the tank" for Palin.

A fair read of the comments shows that people on all sides of issues get to have their say if they stay within the rules. The vast majority of e-mails we're getting thank us for tightening up.

We're getting a few e-mails from people asking why their commenting privileges were blocked. The time it's taking to police the comments is significant. We're not inclined to take even more time to look up offending comments to remind posters in what ways they crossed the line.

Commenters who run afoul of the rules are being banned without notice. No appeals are considered.

If it's important to you to continue to post comments, the best advice is to stay well this side of the line: stay on topic, be civil, don't call other posters names or insult them, don't use profanity, don't post racist comments. We'll give you more license with public figures, but don't make outlandish, unprovable claims or crude, vile comments about them.

When you register, you're required to give us your name, a working e-mail, and where you live. If you register with false information and we find out, you'll be banned without notice.