Can we have the option of disallowing comments in Journals?

[starsforu2]

I think I might want to start a journal, but I don't want to give people the ability to comment in it.

If they have a problem with something I write, I'd prefer that they either report me (because it's against the rules) or PM me directly to disagree. I dislike having a public squabble where people have the opportunity to pile on instead of just debating me head to head.

I could make it private, but I want the best of both worlds. I want to write unchallenged by those who disagree with my premise. I don't want to have to defend my ideas or the way I live my life. I want the ability to reach a semi-wide audience who can choose to ignore my writing, or to read it silently. I don't want to have to fend off people who throw stones. I don't want a reaction.

Is this possible? Does anyone else want this ability? I've heard someone state that you could disable comments, but I haven't figured out how to do that.

Thanks

 

[IWasBored]

www.livejournal.com

 

[U2SavesTheWorld]

www.livejournal.com

 

[Sicy]

I'm pretty sure your choices here at Interference are to have a journal with comments or have a private journal. I do not see this feature changing, (even if it were possible). Journals here do not work like 'real' journals online. It's not easy to just alter the functions like a real journal.

 

[starsforu2]

I'm pretty sure your choices here at Interference are to have a journal with comments or have a private journal. I do not see this feature changing, (even if it were possible). Journals here do not work like 'real' journals online. It's not easy to just alter the functions like a real journal.

Thanks! Just checking. I might check out Live Journal. Thanks for the link IWB

 

[u2bonogirl]

How come when I try and delete comments in my journal it tells me that I must be the owner of the journal to do so? Is there any way that I can delete things others have said in it?

 

[Sicy]

I thought that the owner of the journal could delete entries.... I'll have to test it out under a different username and see what the deal is.

 

[BluRmGrl]

I know I've tried to delete JE's before & I got the same message as Tara... that I had to be "the owner of the journal". And I'm left thinking WTF?? I AM the owner!!!

 

[Elvis]

why would we want people to delete someones comments? if the journal owner doesnt want people to respond.. they should make it private.

if a comment is abusive and needs to be deleted.. thats what mods/admins are for.

Interference Journals are not blogs and having other members comment is by social design. If its a public entry, those replying should be able to comment without the fear of another member (not mod or admin) deleting it.

 

[u2bonogirl]

Because when there are comments made that I feel the need to defend myself over, and dont want to have to do that, I would rather just get rid of the comment and avoid the backlash thats bound to happen afterward.
Theres been some high-class drama in my journal and it could have been avoided by a simple click of a button.
If the mods can have control of the boards and filter through what goes on in there, then shouldnt we be able to in a sense "mod" our journals?

 

[Elvis]

If the mods can have control of the boards and filter through what goes on in there, then shouldnt we be able to in a sense "mod" our journals?

Why would you assume that because you are the only one that can make an 'entry' in your journal that you should also be able to mod your journal? We surely don't allow people to mod their own forum threads.

 

[u2bonogirl]

Im not assuming. I'm asking a question, or making a suggestion. Which ever you like
This is supposed to be a suggestion forum isnt it?
And Sicy said herself that we were supposed to be able to do it. I dont understand why if there is a delete button on the comments that it doesnt work.

 

[Sicy]

I thought we could, but I tried it under a different name(s) and I couldnt do it either.

 

[u2bonogirl]

thanks anyway

 

[blueeyedgirl]

By definition this is a public forum and a public journal. You can find it under Google. If one were to really want to express things privately, then go the Bridget Jones way and buy a diary.

Otherwise, anything anyone writes in the journals here is in the public domain. And open to comment.

 

[martha]

Which is why my journals are only travelogues pretty much. I don't feel the need to post personal issues that 15 million people want to read.

 

[Sicy]

I have to agree with blueeyed and martha here. I do not post personal issues here or in my journal because I KNOW that it is open and public to everyone on the internet. I would much rather write it down in a real journal or find a private journal online for really personal things, or things that I dont want other people's opinion on.

 

[u2bonogirl]

If you dont mind my saying...going the Bridget Jones way would entail me making a movie of my journal

Just for the sake of debate (I'm fine with the rules set in place) consider this:
We're comparing journals to forums here, saying that you wouldnt let us mod our own threads so why should we be able to mod our own journals...well, its a bit different. The same rules dont apply to both. In the forums we are protected from personal attacks and trolling by mods. From what I've heard in the past, the mods dont mess in the journals except for the one time when a member was banned from them.
So, without the protection we get in the forums people can pretty much reign free and troll to their heart's content and we cant do anything about it.
So yes, it is public with a comment option but the link also does say whoever's journal, implying some sort of ownership



I dunno. Im using you all to hone my persuasion skills for school

 

[blueeyedgirl]

This self same ownership of a journal implies also ownership of all entries that the owner writes in it. This responsibility should also extend to all members who make any entries in any part of the forum.

Thereby if the journal owner takes responsibility for all that they write in their journal, they should also be aware that others may not agree with the content of the entry. And this being a public forum, others are able to leave comments.

Whether the owner of the journal agrees with the comments is therefore beside the point.

 

[Chizip]

i thought journals were subject to the same FAQ's as the rest of the board

if people are violating the FAQ's in your journal then Id suggest contacting a mod

 

[starsforu2]

I understand that it's public, that people have the right to make comments about what they disagree with, but journals aren't threads are they? Aren't the journals something that you pay for as a premium member? So then is it unreasonable that you have some degree of control over something you've paid for?

We set up a wedding blog and it allowed you delete comments from it. It even allows you to restrict postings from registered members only.

If a journal is not a blog, then really it's just a thread and perhaps not really worth paying for at all About the only thing it gives you is the ability to start a running thread with your name on it...

I'm sure that I'll get the usual slew of, if you don't like it then pick up your toys and go elsewhere, but this is a suggest forum, and Interference has some things that we really like. Like U2! And a pretty handy and easy to navigate interface and some of the people are really cool.

It's sort of assumed that when you go into FYM, and you post, you're subject to the comments that you've exposed yourself to. It's equally true elsewhere, but usually with less drama and fewer squabbles. And if you don't like fighting, I thought you could retreat into the journals for some relief, but that doesn't seem to be true either. I know that there are a lot of people who go the Journal route instead of wading into battle in some of the forums.

Well, I gotta go to work There are various arguments and counter-arguments. But they are all probably moot if the site software doesn't have the ability to be modified for such a request.

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

I understand that it's public, that people have the right to make comments about what they disagree with, but journals aren't threads are they? Aren't the journals something that you pay for as a premium member? So then is it unreasonable that you have some degree of control over something you've paid for.

I believe anyone can have a journal, not just premium members.

 

[Elvis]

What I think you arent understanding is that our Journals feature here on Interference.com is not a copy-cat of other journal or blog sites. They have a very unique set of 'rules' and for the most part have operated without many complaints since their inception. The Journals here are a bonus feature and in no way designed to detract from the main features of the site.

The Journals are not blogs. They arent customizable, they wont ping or trackback, you cant delete comments, or restrict certain entries to not allow comments (unless its private), etc.

It is BY DESIGN that Journal 'owners' can't delete comments. Having people be able to freely comment adds a certain natural level of self 'moderation' for those keep Journals.

 

[zoney!]

Journals are not a Premium function...


Journals are TRULY like posting a thread. I have never understood this "This is MY JOURNAL - I can say whatever I want and you have no right to comment" argument. Yes, those are your feelings...ut if the entry is "Public" - it is out there for ANYONE on the Internet to read - and commenting. This is not a private diary. It is a fairly simple concept.

I can comment/opiniate whatver I want, as long as it is within the rules and regulations of the Interference.com User Agreement.

 

[u2bonogirl]

Ok, if having a journal is like having your own thread then I believe we should be protected from trolling just like in the forums

 

[starsforu2]

Thanks Elvis

So what I'm hearing is that Journals are NOT meant to be any different than any other part of the site.

So, given your reply. I must apologize to all those people that I got annoyed with because I assumed (wrongly it appears) that journals were slightly more private than threads.

I think we were operating under the assumption that if you posted in a thread, that you were subject to the opinions and attitudes of anyone on this board. But that etiquette would prevent people from being as free to comment in someone's journal, because it's designed to be more personal, more owned by that person. Many of our complaints revolved around an assumed ownership of the journal. So for those who we argued with us about that, I apologize. You were correct. We were wrong.

But we are not alone. A lot of people assumed that a journal meant that you could write anything you want and that people shouldn't throw incendiary comments into it, because journals were different than public threads. But not all people feel that way (obviously) and we were wrong to expect people to treat journals the same way as we always understood them to be, or even wanted them to be.

I always operated under the assumption that 1) Who am I to comment judgmentally about someone else's life in their journal? Particularly, if they are someone that I don't know or, or that I totally don't agree with! 2) If they wanted advice on their life, they would post it in Zoo Confessionals. If they wanted to debate politics they would go to FYM. 3) A journal is the place where people write stuff primarily about themselves, and it's assumed that it's their space to write whatever. That even if I have the RIGHT to tell someone that they are being stupid, that it isn't my place to do so.

In conclusion. I'm sorry that I got angry at some of you for debating the rightness or wrongness of impolite commenting in my wife's journal. I'm disappointed that it is the way, but whatcha going to do? It doesn't appear that the rules are going to change

 

[Elvis]

Journals are 'yours', you just dont have the ability to censor others who comment in your entries. They are significantly different than threads in the fact that the topics purely revolve around each Journal 'owner' and not a forum topic. It's member-centric, not topic-centric.

Many people like to read specific posts of specific members, and this allows those members, via their Journal, to have a 'stage' of their own.

Again, the ability to not delete another members comments follow in line with our rules that thread starters can't delete other member's replies.

Member induced censorship could most likely cause a LOT more problems than how it is now.

 

[martha]

they wont ping

Now hold the phone. I want my journal to make noise!

 

[starsforu2]

Journals are 'yours', you just dont have the ability to censor others who comment in your entries. They are significantly different than threads in the fact that the topics purely revolve around each Journal 'owner' and not a forum topic. It's member-centric, not topic-centric.

Many people like to read specific posts of specific members, and this allows those members, via their Journal, to have a 'stage' of their own.

Again, the ability to not delete another members comments follow in line with our rules that thread starters can't delete other member's replies.

Member induced censorship could most likely cause a LOT more problems than how it is now.

I respectfully disagree. Member induced censorship already exists. As the "owner" of the Journal, you have the ability to privatize your journal, essentially censoring the offending comments, and if you really want to censor comments, you have the ability to delete the entire entry. Granted, it's a baby and bathwater response, because you also lose any supporting comments, but it is possible. And if you really liked what you wrote, you can cut and paste and make a new entry, thus forcing the offending person to repost their comments if they feel that they must be heard.

I agree whole-heartedly that "thread" starters should not be able to pick and choose the opinions that please them, and everyone who is on here understands that when they post in one of the forum threads. And if Journals are "threads", then your point is well taken, but they don't appear to behave exactly like threads, and in my opinion behave quite differently from threads in terms of ownership and even mod responsibilites.

Therefore, if Journals are not like forum "threads" then I don't think that it will cause more problems once people are informed that starsforu2's journal actually belongs to starsforu2 and is not co-owned by Sicy (or anyone else who wants to make a comment). All of our problems with Journals have arisen because we mistakenly assumed that because our name is on the journal, it actually belongs to us. And so we've protested when we've been given a hard time by this person or that person and we've had people line up on each side saying "it's her journal, she can write what she wants" (pro-us) or "it's a public forum and I have the right to say what I want" (pro-them). The fact is, the way that it's set up right now, they are correct, and not us, however, there are a lot of people who assume that the journal is owned by the writer, and not co-owned by the writer and the commenter.

So, if you disagree because it's just a giant pain in the ass to change the code, then I understand completely and accept that we don't "own" our journals and should stop arguing about it.

But if you disagree because it would cause more trouble, I'm not sure that's correct. In my wife's case, she wants to be able to delete comments before others jump in and start piling on. It also might be an effective deterrent for people who tend to be a little bit on the jerky side. If they realize that they won't be able to start another drama in interference, maybe they'll just move on and provoke someone who likes to argue. Honestly, if you granted "ownership" of Journals (by giving us the ability to delete entries) to the authors who start them, you would effectively remove just about every argument we've ever had in the journals.

Thanks for taking the time Elvis.

 

[U2SavesTheWorld]

Maybe its the name (JOURNAL) that is freaking everyone out.

Maybe they should just be called, "My Real Time Log of Everything I Have Done for the Last 6 Minutes (WITH PICTURES!)".


The subtitle could be, "YOU HAVE TO READ THIS (but don't tell me what you think about what I wanted you to read)".