To Our Readers: New Comment Policy

Dear Readers:>

Rockville Central has changed its comment policy. In the past, we have required those leaving comments to register with Google’s Blogger service, as well as type in a “word code” to prove they aren’t a spam robot. Now, we are experimenting with allowing anyone (registered or unregistered) to comment.

This is an experiment; we will see how it goes. I may switch it back if there is too much spam or abuse.

I am ambivalent about this move. In my opinion, there is already far, far too much anonymity on the Internet (and in society in general). But, the registration procedure seemed to be getting in the way of some people leaving comments who wanted to be heard. Admittedly, it’s a complicated process. And, as our readership has increased steadily over time, more people have expressed a desire to take part in simpler ways. So, for now, I am leaning in the direction of simplicity and access.

But, in return, let me ask something of you.

Rockville Central is a local resource, and our driving philosophy is that we are all neighbors in this town and we all need to get along. I strongly believe that means that people who speak up in this forum ought to own their own words and identify themselves. So, for instance, I make it a point to fully identify myself by name in anything I do related to Rockville Central (or anywhere on the Internet for that matter). And, Contributor Opinions will almost always be signed, except in unusual and highly limited cases.

I understand that not everyone agrees with me on that. For some people, there may be personal safety concerns when speaking up. I can also imagine a situation where someone is blowing a whistle and needs protection from retaliation. But, for the majority of cases, there is no need for anonymity.

So here is my request. When posting comments, please consider using your actual name, or close to it.

Or at least, something human-seeming. Please don’t just call yourself a “voter” or “concerned citizen” from some area in Rockville. There are plenty of places for anonymous commentary. I would like it to be minimized here. As a general rule, if one cannot stand by one’s own opinion, one ought to think twice about whether one really needs to post it. If you feel you need to remain anonymous, please say why.

Like I say, I am not going to require this — but taking responsibility for our words is core to what this blog is about.

I’ll get off my soap box now. Please feel free to agree, disagree, or propose some other idea…in the comments! Or, feel free to drop me a line.

Thanks for reading, and making this blog so vibrant.

–Brad Rourke

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