After a robust discussion here on Village 14 and offline among the Village 14 Bloggers, we have decided to update our commenting rules to add the following:
Sock puppeting (when an anonymous user pretends to be someone they’re not with intent to deceive) is strictly prohibited. For example, if an elected official, city employee, candidate, developer, or close associate (such as an immediate family member, employee, campaign worker, etc.) of one of those people, comments anonymously about a person or an issue relevant to his/her city job, business with the city, office, office sought, or election, that would be a violation. If you are discovered to be sock puppet you may be blocked from participating here and outed on the blog post in question.
Thanks to everyone who provided input and to all of you who participates — or just visits — Village 14.
Excellent!
It will be interesting to see which of our anonymous regulars never comment again.
@Greg, if one of those “Anonymous regulars” shows up under a different anonymous name, and you out them, I’d hope you could link that name to their prior anonymous name.
Seems reasonable to me. This is intended to be a convenient public forum for neighbors, seems like we would want to know which of our neighbors we’re talking to.
This being an election year, I’m thinking of selling my on-line identity to the highest bidder. Any takers?
@Jerry: Old folkies will remember WCAS-AM, a quintessential Cambridge station from the 70s.
@Greg – did you mean to post that in the WNTN thread?
And I remember WCAS-AM – a college friend volunteered there and called it “Cambridge’s only semi-professional radio station.” 🙂
Whoops. Yes I did.
Jerry, I’ll take it! 🙂
I often think (and have shared with Greg) how much fun it would be to sockpuppet once in a while. But I’ve seen the public ridicule heaped upon a couple who’ve been outed and they weren’t even public officials. Dangerous territory misusing this blog!!
So if Jerry starts sprinkling his posts with the occasional Yiddish phrases and Princess Bride references, please look the other way.
As a sock puppet, I am offended by this rule. Just kidding I support it
What about folks like me?
Good to know that we haven’t scared away all the smart alecks!
Greg. These rules are a ten strike. Some may drift away for awhile, but the allure of posting and back and forth verbal conflict is deep, strong and compelling. Sooner or later, most will return. The recidivism rate among chronic bloggers who has tried to quit is extremely high. I have that from good scientific authority.