Dear reader, we're closing comments (IOL)

bwana said:
Everyone is entitled to voice their opinions but IOL is under no obligation to provide a platform to do so.
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True, but IOL also shouldn't be held responsible for the comments of their readers either. This right not to be offended we seem to think we have is in direct opposition to the ideal of free speech. Tolerating unpopular speech is the price we pay for the right to free speech. IOL is bowing to external pressure. We've become such a bunch of children as a society that we would rather not have a platform to express out opinions than risk being offended by something someone says. And also, you can't really address racism and bigotry unless you confront and deconstruct it. By removing the platform for racism and bigotry you just drive it under ground. No visible racism sure, but no real arguments against it either. Racism is bad m'kay?
 
bwana said:
Everyone is entitled to voice their opinions but IOL is under no obligation to provide a platform to do so.
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That is not the issue at all.

IOL and News24 certainly voice a lot of their own opinion, and what many feel is a biased slant on news events. So in a very real way IOL and News24 use their platforms to voice their opinion, i.e. the opinions of their editors and journalists. They have every right to do so. What they do not have a right to, what nobody has a right to, is the expectation that an opinion must go unchallenged. Removing their online comment section is merely removing the most convenient facility for people to register their response. At worst it is cowardice, at best it is a management issue around the resources or methodology to moderate those responses. And it is very easy and probably quite tempting to claim the latter motive to obscure the former.
 
Nick333 said:
True, but IOL also shouldn't be held responsible for the comments of their readers either.
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Unfortunately that is not how SA legislation sees it at the moment and that is probably part of the external pressure to which you refer.

So how do they resolve it?

1. Appoint salaried moderators but then also accept responsibility for any future liability, i.e. a risk to their business.

2. Shut it down, reduce any potential liability to zero, save on costs and have peace of mind...

IOL, et al, went for option #2.
 
MickeyD said:
Unfortunately that is not how SA legislation sees it at the moment and that is probably part of the external pressure to which you refer.

So how do they resolve it?

1. Appoint salaried moderators but then also accept responsibility for any future liability, i.e. a risk to their business.

2. Shut it down, reduce any potential liability to zero, save on costs and have peace of mind...

IOL, et al, went for option #2.
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Except that nowhere has IOL stated potential legal liability for user comments as a reason. The reason given is basically "because racist trolls". If they were really concerned about liability, why not just say so?
 
Voicy said:
I stay WELL clear of /r/southafrica



Haha, you have been made a moderator at /r/pyongyang !


Bonus question: Can someone loop me in on what happened with DJ and what the issue is behind the comments being closed? I've missed out on A LOT.
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MickeyD said:
Comments are NOT closed on MyBB.
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Oh right, no I meant what was the theme behind comments being closed on news24 and iol?
 
MickeyD said:
/summonses Das Shiff
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sorry. busy day in hell.

Turgon said:
For fun:

logo.jpg


El-lip-sis

3 dots = 3 letter 'O's

Letter O = 15th letter

1+5 = 6

3 sixes = 666

this pattern is redundant (duplicated, as above, so below)

The upper ellipsis are round (protective magical circles, keeping the upper echelon safe), while the lower ellipsis are square, four-walled cells/prisons for the pirates and dissidents below (ie. the 'solution' linked via visual proximity)

Letter 'O' is a Ring. 3 rings for the Elven kings

The company ellipsis offers an "Update and Report Service to bring Clarity":

Tom Cruise (thought crime investigator) in Minority Report: "I just need a little Clarity" (while trying to score a drug by this name)

by visual obfuscation, 'sis' can be read as 616, and alternative to 666 as the Number of the Beast.

'sis', when voiced, sounds like 'sssssss'

El , the God (or a god), places his finger to his lips and says: 'ssshhhh'

Eli-psi-s = Psionic Regulation

....

Yeah, this is going to be interesting.
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nailed it
 
IOL just got delted from my favorites. The comments were a lot more insightful than the news article. Same as Mybroadband.
 
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