Sugar baby watermelon Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 Uncivil dialogue: Commenting and stories about indigenous people by Office of the GM and Editor in Chief Posted: November 30, 2015 11:53 AM Last Updated: November 30, 2015 3:18 PM Categories: Canada, Community, Journalism, Politics Today we made the difficult decision to temporarily close comments on stories about indigenous people. We hope to reopen them in mid-January after we've had some time to review how these comments are moderated and to provide more detailed guidance to our moderators. I want to explain our rationale for taking this unusual step. But let me begin by explaining why we have comments on our news site. If you follow industry trends, you'll know that the value of commenting on media websites has been debated for years. Many publishers, including some newspaper sites in Canada, have shut comments down. Others have turned the commenting function on their websites over to third-party social media platforms such as Facebook. As Fortune's Mathew Ingram recently wrote, there are common complaints cited whenever a publisher makes this move: comment sections breed trolls and "garbage"; the proportion of readers that leaves comments is small compared with the general audience; it costs a lot of money and time to manage and moderate this community; and there are social media platforms better suited for this type of conversation. Much of that is true. But at CBC News, we also see many positives. We believe our comment section helps answer our mandate as a public broadcaster to reflect the country and its regions to itself. We believe it's important to provide the public with a democratic space where they can freely engage and debate the issues of the day. Research shows that our audience not only expects comments on a news site like ours, but values them -- even if readers don't participate directly in the comment threads. Those who do leave comments consume far more of our content than average users, so they're a highly engaged segment of our audience. We also have one of the most active comment spaces of any media organization in the country. In the last few months, we set records for the number of comments left on our pages, topping one million comments in September and October. We've seen thoughtful, insightful and moving comments on our pages. We've seen ignorant, ill-informed and objectionable comments as well. All of it is acceptable, in our view, in a marketplace of ideas where the issues of the day are freely debated and tested. For that to work, the debate must be respectful, even if it's vigorous and pointed. But as our guidelines make clear, we draw the line on hate speech and personal attacks. While there are a number of subjects and groups of people who seem to bring out higher-than-average numbers of worrisome comments, we find ourselves with a unique situation when it comes to indigenous-related stories. We've noticed over many months that these stories draw a disproportionate number of comments that cross the line and violate our guidelines. Some of the violations are obvious, some not so obvious; some comments are clearly hateful and vitriolic, some are simply ignorant. And some appear to be hate disguised as ignorance (i.e., racist sentiments expressed in benign language). This comes at the same time CBC News has made a concerted effort to connect with indigenous communities in order to improve our journalism and better reflect these communities to a national audience. The success of our Aboriginal unit and our investigative journalism around missing and murdered indigenous women are just two examples of that commitment. We don't want violations of our guidelines by a small minority of our commenters to derail our good work or alienate our audience. So we're taking a pause to see if we can put some structure around this. We will reopen comments as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience in the meantime. Brodie Fenlon Acting director of digital news CBC News and Centres Great start to battle online trolls hiding behind their keyboards don't you think! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fox Mulder Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 A surprisingly well thought out response. However, it really doesn't matter what stories are published, people will troll and make stupid comments about everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Lock Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 It's the internet. People like to hide behind their monitors to let out their "stupid". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winter Soldier Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 There was an editorial on the CBC recently that questioned the need to even have comments on websites anymore. I found myself agreeing with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fateless Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 I get more annoyed at the amount of disproportionate articles that minority groups get in this day and age. All we ever hear about over the last few years are LGBT groups, aboriginal groups, and other vocal minorities. I honestly blame the media for a lot of the hate that gets circulated. I think these minority groups deserve the same rights as everyone else, but when its all I hear about in the news or on social media, people get annoyed and typically lash out with mean/hateful comments. Its the same sort of media issue in the States. I believe that the frequent mass shootings are a result of how much publicity they get. Psychopaths see how much attention they can get if they perform a mass shooting, so they want to go out with a bang as well. If these kind of things didn't garner AS MUCH media attention, these issues become less common. If media (news, movies, tv shows, social media) actually gave proportionate attention, people wouldn't feel so slighted and would likely lash out less frequently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warhippy Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 As a person who frequents cbc website I cannot blame them If you read or read any of the comments about natives in this country and have half an ounce of humanity you'd understand why they were doing ti. Next will and almost should be the syrian refugees coming here. Remember, free speech does not give you license or allowance to sit there and be a racist idiot on a public forum with very clear and concise rules about things of that nature Seriously, watch this video and understand very clearly that these are the polite things people have been leaving as comments http://www.cbc.ca/news/aboriginal/cbc-indigenous-staff-read-real-comments-1.3351635 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drewismyname Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 Racism disguised in benigne sentiments hmmmm where have I seen that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-DLC- Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 2 hours ago, Drewismyname said: Racism disguised in benigne sentiments hmmmm where have I seen that. Where? Reminding you to use the report button, not make generalizations without any examples. Because it's rather unfair to do so. And WH: Racism is out of control but no race is immune...."whites" get their fair share as well as a lot of blame for things that happened long ago which is directed toward "all whites", not just the guilty parties. It dumbs us down when we separate things into colours....as human beings, we are complex and unique. We have to stop that...we all have to stop generalizing and grouping humans together based on "colour" and ethnicity. We all have to stop the finger pointing blame and shame thing in order to work towards being kinder/more compassionate as a whole. Basically, adopt a "we're all in this together" concept. No one can undo what has happened in the past, but we can work toward understanding and healing. Anger, while understandable, is counter productive in that process. I will exchange native for any abused group (I was part of one)....at some point, we have to forgive in order to move on. Forgiveness is freeing and means I no longer carry the weight of this. I am freeing myself of it by not allowing it to consume me. Natives are victims of a terrible treatment and despicable crimes but it's not a free pass to harbour an unending hostility...at some point, that needs to be worked on (too). Because passing along the hatred hardly seems productive or fair. I go back to "be part of the solution, not the problem" thinking in that. The blame and shame perpetuates things and the only way we'll ever have true acceptance of all people is if we start to build bridges in looking toward the future rather than concentrating on burning the ones of the past. Horrible things have happened but not every single person committed the atrocities...for sure, we don't all support or justify them. I bring this up because a recent string of racist graffiti on cars evoked a huge and hateful reactionary commentary about white people and how awful they are. We aren't all (awful people). We aren't all responsible for the actions of hateful others. And we all should aim to quit highlighting the reasons we resent and hate others and opt to focus on how we can like them. Because I come fresh from a dialogue related to this, I have used natives as the example. But, as stated earlier, all people can be both subjected to this and guilty of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drewismyname Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 6 minutes ago, debluvscanucks said: Where? Reminding you to use the report button, not make generalizations without any examples. Because it's rather unfair to do so. And WH: Racism is out of control but no race is immune...."whites" get their fair share as well as a lot of blame for things that happened long ago are directed to "all whites", not just guilty parties. It dumbs us down when we separate things into colours....as humans, we are complex and different. We have to stop that...we all have to stop generalizing and grouping humans together based on "colour" and ethnicity. We all have to stop the finger pointing blame and shame thing in order to work towards being kinder/more compassionate as a whole. Basically, adopt a "we're all in this together" concept. No one can undo what has happened in the past, but we can work toward understanding and healing. Anger, while understandable, is counter productive in that process. I will exchange native for any abused group (I was part of one)....at some point, we have to forgive in order to move on. Forgiveness is freeing and means I no longer carry the weight of this. I am freeing myself of it by not allowing it to consume me. Natives are victims of a terrible treatment and despicable crimes but it's not a free pass to harbour an unending hostility...at some point, that needs to be worked on (too). Because passing along the hatred hardly seems productive or fair. I go back to "be part of the solution, not the problem" thinking in that. The blame and shame perpetuates things and the only way we'll ever have true acceptance of all people is if we start to build bridges in looking toward the future rather than concentrating on burning the ones of the past. Horrible things have happened but not every single person committed the atrocities...for sure, we don't all support or justify them. Because I come fresh from a dialogue related to this, I have used natives as the example. But, as stated earlier, all people can be both subjected to this and guilty of it. I bring this up because a recent string of racist graffiti on cars evoked a huge and hateful reactionary commentary about white people and how awful they are. We aren't all. And we all have to quite highlighting the reasons we hate others and try to focus on how we can like them. I believe you removed those posts after I reported them so I'm unable to point them out. My apologies Deb I wasn't suggesting it is due to bad moderating. I think we can both agree the moderators have quite a strong grip on the problematic posters Edit: Though there is only so much a moderating team can do especially on such a large board. It is up to us to report each other and not support that type of bs (veiled hate) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-DLC- Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 Continue to do so....racism is not tolerated and we have to have help in weeding through thousands of posts in order to flag and remove it. Thanks for helping with that, it IS taken seriously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugar baby watermelon Posted December 6, 2015 Author Share Posted December 6, 2015 That is good to hear Deb! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drummer4now Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 I think as a whole racism is in decline, but certain generations are still prone to it.. I believe the millennials and people before them are the last of a rotten bunch that just need to pass away now (no offense lol), now obviously not everyone is like that.. But people born from 2000 and later seem to have less racial aggressions atleast that's what I have noticed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bookie Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 1 hour ago, Fateless said: I get more annoyed at the amount of disproportionate articles that minority groups get in this day and age. All we ever hear about over the last few years are LGBT groups, aboriginal groups, and other vocal minorities. I honestly blame the media for a lot of the hate that gets circulated. I think these minority groups deserve the same rights as everyone else, but when its all I hear about in the news or on social media, people get annoyed and typically lash out with mean/hateful comments. Its the same sort of media issue in the States. I believe that the frequent mass shootings are a result of how much publicity they get. Psychopaths see how much attention they can get if they perform a mass shooting, so they want to go out with a bang as well. If these kind of things didn't garner AS MUCH media attention, these issues become less common. If media (news, movies, tv shows, social media) actually gave proportionate attention, people wouldn't feel so slighted and would likely lash out less frequently. Wait what - which stories do you feel are being ignored? Middle class heterosexual white people don't really do much of interest other than occasionally wigging out and shooting other people. I don't wanna hear about how Ted took his kids to the mall, bought a 6pack, and scratched his nuts in a LazyBoy all evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuckin_futz Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 13 minutes ago, The Bookie said: I don't wanna hear about how Ted took his kids to the mall, bought a 6pack, and scratched his nuts in a LazyBoy all evening. What if this was the "Ted" in question? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wizardB Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 The minute the left doesn't have everyone agreeing with the crap they peddle they shut down comments and break out the racism card. Racism isn't the problem the wholesale give away of our money and land to a few people is racism of the worst kind. It is our country we built it after we took it from a stone age culture that was doing nothing with it and no progressing out the stone age and now they want what we built and want more of our hard earned money to boot . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuckin_futz Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 32 minutes ago, drummer4now said: But people born from 2000 and later seem to have less racial aggressions atleast that's what I have noticed. 2 minutes ago, wizardB said: The minute the left doesn't have everyone agreeing with the crap they peddle they shut down comments and break out the racism card. Racism isn't the problem the wholesale give away of our money and land to a few people is racism of the worst kind. It is our country we built it after we took it from a stone age culture that was doing nothing with it and no progressing out the stone age and now they want what we built and want more of our hard earned money to boot . Just a guess, but were you by any chance born before 2000? LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drummer4now Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 7 minutes ago, nuckin_futz said: Just a guess, but were you by any chance born before 2000? LOL I was born in the early 90's.. But the poster you quoted after me wasn't lol.. Case in point to what I meant by my original statement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drummer4now Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 17 minutes ago, wizardB said: The minute the left doesn't have everyone agreeing with the crap they peddle they shut down comments and break out the racism card. Racism isn't the problem the wholesale give away of our money and land to a few people is racism of the worst kind. It is our country we built it after we took it from a stone age culture that was doing nothing with it and no progressing out the stone age and now they want what we built and want more of our hard earned money to boot . You do realize that the culture the Europeans had was borrowed from even more ancient civilizations like from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia? You know those people who are now being branded as "savages" in Syria and Iraq discovered: farming, banking, mechanics, etc.. So really without them wouldn't the Europeans be just in the stone age? You can't claim everything.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nucklehead Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 Quote We also have one of the most active comment spaces of any media organization in the country. In the last few months, we set records for the number of comments left on our pages, topping one million comments in September and October. Wonder how CDCs numbers stack up against theirs. I don't think we presently have the participation that we did a few years ago but we had the highest in the league at one time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFirstLine Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 1 hour ago, drummer4now said: I think as a whole racism is in decline, but certain generations are still prone to it.. I believe the millennials and people before them are the last of a rotten bunch that just need to pass away now (no offense lol), now obviously not everyone is like that.. But people born from 2000 and later seem to have less racial aggressions atleast that's what I have noticed. I feel like racism is much worse and more widespread then it has ebeen in recent years, especially after this Paris attack.. Also seems focused on particular ethnicities such as people from a African American descent or Arabs. Seems like I notice alot more stories regarding racism then I have in the past and way more disgusting senseless comments on sites as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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