Posted by:
Victoria Ayotte Brown, interactivity editor on
October 29, 2009 at
1:51PM CST
I've been thinking a lot about lurkers lately. These folks tend to make up 90 percent of any online community, but they are the quiet readers who don't post anything. The reasons for this are many, but I want the lurkers out there at my.JournalStar.com and www.JournalStar.com to know that we value you and hope that you move toward contributing to the discussion.
Some lurkers see how other posters are criticized and are concerned they will be shouted down. There are professors, politicians and business leaders commenting on our sites, but we value just as greatly the voices of the stay-at-home moms, the fast-food workers and the college students. That's one reason it's important for all of us -- even thick-skinned commenters -- to do a good job of policing behavior in our community. We want this to be a welcoming place for new folks to jump into the discussion.
Victoria - If they could put a report an idiot button ('er - I mean report a troll button) on the sites, it would be easier to "police" the site. (IMO) :)
I totally agree. We have the Report Abuse feature on the forums and the JournalStar.com story comments, but we need to get it for the blogs. We've asked for that -- the software vendor says it's a systemwide issue. In the meantime, please leave me a message with the bad post copied into it or push the Report Blog button.
Posted by: LuvLincoln on December 22, 2009 8:10PM CST
Victoria, It sure would be nice if profiles were required to be filled out. I know not everyone is honest but the anonymous factor brings out the worst in people.
I totally understand your sentiment. However, such a requirement would likely inhibit a lot of people who just come to our site to comment on stories and aren't at all interested in having a profile. The registration requirement has caused the number of problem posts to drop a good bit from what we used to have when people weren't required to have an account. We will keep striving to keep the site as clean as possible.
Victoria, is anyone in the I.T. department able to do an IP trace?
That's one way to track down the sock puppet jokers who like to stir things up?
Then ban their ip, make them jump through more hoops to get logged on or create an account. Not that that would keep them off if they know much about computers.
At the very least it might weed out the folks that are using multiple LITR id's. Not much fun if you force them to use an anonymous proxy all the time, they are slow usually, so make it less fun for them while figuring out who's playing games.
Russ: That's an idea. We are usually leery of that because some companies (and the university) use one IP address for everyone. If you could message me the names of the newest sock puppet(s) I will investigate what we can do. Thanks!
I have at least 3 ljs accounts now simply because it never lets me login to comment. So I try again the next time i want to comment, and I still can't. I have no voice because the website won't give me one.
Sammy: Sounds very frustrating. We have heard of that happening in a few cases, even among staff members. Please let us know the next time you can't get in -- shoot an e-mail to online@journalstar.com and to me at vayotte@journalstar.com. That way we can trouble-shoot the lame account and try to get to the bottom of why this happens. I am sorry for your trouble.
Posted by: Tractor Tina on March 17, 2010 8:19AM CST
I believe most people posting comments have 1. no job - or why would they have so much time to look on the computer? 2. no real friends - just computer acquaintences 3. no hobbies - they need to get a real life! This is why I rarely post anything to a web site: I DONT HAVE TIME FOR IT.
many want anonymity for the simple fact that a posted statement or opinion is scrutinized by their employers, and no one wants to get fire! or someone made the statement for them.
My opinion on the psychology of lurkers posting comments:
I believe there are several primary ingredients that coax a person off of the reader (lurker) fence and into the field of opinion or debate. First and foremost is one’s PASSION about the topic being discussed regardless of their point of view. This passion can come from either a religious dogma, or life experience that one feels very strongly about.
Second is a powerfully held disagreement with the issue in general or some remark left by another that invokes a hostile response. The reader feels an irresistible urge to correct what they feel is an obvious wrong. These responses are generally emotional and pointed.
Third is a feeling of kinship with the poster. Often this comes from a shared sense of pain, anguish, or suffering, but can just as easily be stirred by happiness, exhilaration or elation. Have you ever read something that just makes your skin tingle or sends a chill up your spin? If so, you know where I'm coming from. These feelings often elicit a need to respond in some way.
Surely, this list can be expanded, but I think these are the primaries and some might disagree about their order and/or relevance, but I gave it a shot.
Now, I need to figure out what drove me to this...
Have a great day... or don't; it's up to you to decide.
I post a great deal on LITR and rarely on LJS stories. Mostly because, while each has a number of loyal posters, the posters at LITR are very welcoming of all new posters who respect other posters and their right to hold an opinion, even if it is an opinion they disagree with.
It is ok at LITR to disagree as long as you do it respectfully and make a case based on merit. Often this leads to individuals gaining new insight and a change of opinion.
At LITR it is ok to say "thank you" and "I'm sorry"..."I'm sorry, I was mistaken" and "I'm sorry I hurt you." and "I'm sorry if that is how my words were regarded by you. That was not what I meant or intended." and "I'm sorry, I misunderstood what you had said...I stand corrected."
"It is NOT ok to attack a poster personally for having his/her opinion.
Those who do come in with personal attacks on LITR threads are nearly always confronted (within respectful boundaries, usually) by one or several regular posters and are told that the community will not tolerate such behavior. If that errant poster persists on personal attacks, they are made to feel that those attacks are unwelcome and are often eventually reported.
Sadly this is not the community which posts on LJS articles.
The community at LJS articles is for the most part divided into two opposing sub-communities which attack each other aggressively and viciously on a daily basis.
Newcomers are usually recognized as being on one or the other "side" (often wrongly) and are attacked and belittled (sometimes by both sides). This Hatfields and McCoys" type of a community Forum is generally, in my opinion, not seen by many of us "lurkers" as one that we would like to move into.
If LJS wants more posters, this negative behavior needs to be put into check by LJS staffers.
This negative behavior is pervasive and defies us "lurkers" reporting every instance.
Check any story with 50 comments and you will find at least 40 to 45 of the comments are attacks from these two camps made up of the same individuals day in and day out. Consider this long post to be my report to you.
I rarely even bother to "lurk" anymore because, usually, I already know that it will be the same fight with the same fighters using the same tactics they always use. I usually leave with a sickened feeling and wonder why I put myself through that yet again.
I understand and it was wrong of me to use those words and annology. I will try to refrain, from these from here on out. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Some times I get carried away or to passionate in my responces. There will be no further comments like that one from me again and again you have my appologies
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