Why anonymous comments are allowed on masterstrack.com
Liz Palmer, shown at 2015 Pasadena Senior Games, triggered latest drugs debate.
I’m also lazy. People can use legitimate-sounding names and slip through the cracks. Work-arounds are possible — such as with Facebook-only comment systems. People can create fake accounts.
I don’t have time to inspect comments before they go live. (My software is set to allow comments immediately if I’ve approved user at least once.)
I also rely on the self-correcting quality of the Net. If someone is truly off their rocker, they hear about it. Shame-on-you comments can be revealing (and entertaining).
Finally, and self-evidently, nobody is forcing you to read the comments. Anyone offended can express themselves (publicly or privately). I’ll act as necessary.
But I’m a glutton for punishment, so let me have it. A poll won’t change my mind, but it’s worth taking the temperature.
21 Responses
Making a personal attack on someone anonymously , as Lyon or bust did on Liz Palmer , is very simply an act of cowardice .Yes , you are entitled to your opinion to your opinion . Just own up to it .
Not personal for me, just my opinion, sorry you have a problem with it. I am being blasted for my opinion but folks are not blasting about Liz for consuming PED’s, interesting.
I have mixed feelings about allowing anonymous comments. It is one thing to post behind a fake name when commenting on a blog post but I find it to be rather cowardly to hide one’s name when writing a personal attack.
It is not about the issue or the person whom you are criticizing, it is about hiding one’s name while striking out in a negative way that bothers me.
I understand why Ken allows this – it is his blog – he gets to set the rules. Personally I have no respect for those who hide their identity behind a fake name and then proceed to trash someone regardless of the issue.
#2 You just don’t or won’t get it . It’s your opinion But you don’t want any one to know who you are . Pitiful .
Mr. Lyon (#2), an honorable person will stand behind what they say and not hide behind a pseudonym. However I KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
Bert,
While I don’t personally care for the anonymous posts but am not offended by them and understand why they are allowed. My question for you is do you attack all of the anonymous posts as being cowards or just those that you disagree with?
Michael, I’m going to be anonymous because I prefer it. But let me tell you why some other anonymous posters are offensive. There is a big difference between a poster who expresses an opinion anonymously and a poster who hurls insults, dirt, and innuendo anonymously. They are known as trolls. Opinions can advance a discussion. Insults are petty and disgusting. That is what Bert, Tom, Mary, and I object to. Hopefully you understand the difference.
Anonymous
Thank you. Michael,is that clear enough for you ?
Bert,
Sadly, that clears it up perfectly.
For the record, Tom, “Lyon or Bust” is a woman. I’ll say no more.
I prefer names and age. That way you can ignore replies from those not in your age group.
Michael
I guess that’s called getting in the last words even if they don’t mean anything
post anonymous as much as you want just don’t post stupid comments…
I discovered on a post I contributed to in the past that a poster with a fake name was commenting – on the same post – with 3 different fake names! I knew this from using my police forensic experience. The poster used phrases that duplicated phrases from the other 2 fake names. More important evidence was that he placed a period at the end of sentences, but failed to provide a space before the start of the new sentence, which was consistent across the individual posts. He spent some of his time attacking me personally. When confronted in person, he declared it was all his computers fault. This 3 x faux poster ended up having a heated argument with himself, even challenging himself to show up to a track meet and get a good beating from himself! You may remember this commenter Ken, as you eventually stopped him from commenting on that thread. No point, just a funny story of insanity creeping into the system. RIP, Panama Kid, or whoever you are today. I hope the meds are working.
Ken has removed persons for making insalting comments emails can be tracked if he feels his readers are being race.gender verble.or other but i feel if you cant use your name keep it to yourself .mostly if you dont run and never have im proud of my sport and dont like to see my fellow track fam stab in the back by a joggerAmen
Yes it’s good to allow cowards to comment on your site Ken. Not! Here is what I call anonomis. Cowards afraid to show their names. Kind of like. “Hold me back before I hurt that Guy”. If people want to give their opnions then stand up and take credit for it. It really takes away the accountability. It lets anyone say anything, really? That’s what your looking for?
Correction on the spelling of anonymous in my last post.
Then again some people who know nothing about the particular folks they are freely categorizing as cowards probably shouldn’t use their own name either. Ken said – “Some pseudonyms belong to well-known masters officials and athletes, and I don’t want to lose their wisdom”. If you don’t agree with someones comments that’s fine but it hardly makes them a coward when they make a straight forward comment. There are plenty of reasons to make a comment without using a name. #13 has got it right
Should secret ballot voting also be banned? That is a concern currently in New Hampshire, where those who advocate for the traditional Town Meeting form of town governance don’t want to permit secret ballot voting. Having attended a number of town meetings over the years, however, I think that the real reason many people don’t want to permit secret ballots is that they will no longer be able to bully or shame those who oppose their agenda.
I’d just like to say anonymously that this is really lousy comments section and I have no idea why I keep coming back.
#7 summed it up. For those voicing opinions on a subject from an insider’s perspective, etc., the use anonymous comments are understood. Attackers on individuals should willing to stand behind their DNA.
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