IN January 2014 Manchester Confidential is a decade old.
Readers who abuse the ‘rants’ should be aware that we own the medium, their comments are there because we allow them to be there.
We’ve had our ups and downs but that’s a long life for any independent media in Manchester (think of all the others that have come and gone in the city during that time).
For the last ten years we’ve been unusual in allowing any clever Tom, Dick or Harriet, or any stupid Tom, Dick or Harriet, to say exactly what they want on the comment section of the site, aka the rants.
Of course we’ve always, when we’ve seen them, removed personal attacks from the site pertaining to individuals that are unsubstantiated.
But generally, we’ve been liberal in allowing comment, critical or complimentary, about the subjects touched upon in articles. We love it even more if readers’ comments involve wit and intelligence.
But lately we’ve had a twist into night, the comments have become darker, more loaded, the fun has lessened. Frequently the subject of the article is ignored in a flurry of unintelligent bitterness by certain individuals – the classic sort of ‘troll’ who uses the internet as a coward’s weapon to lash out from the safety of some remote keyboard.
So we’re changing things. A bit.
After all we are not some charitable open forum, we’re a commercial media company trying to pay the wages whilst attempting to comment, report and review the city as independently as any such company can.
Readers who abuse the ‘rants’ section should be aware that we own the medium, their comments are there because we allow them to be there. It's as though we’ve invited people into our house party and we welcome them but we don't want some of the guests, especially those disguised in masks, vandalising the rooms.
So in common with every other magazine with significant readership, we’ll be removing any rants we deem it necessary to remove, whenever we feel like doing so. It's up to us.
Let’s take restaurant reviews for which we are famous.
Comments are welcome on the review, the writing style, the general state of Manchester dining. Reasonable criticism is always welcome, but unsubstantiated, anonymous bile is now off-limits.
If certain readers want to slaughter a business then fine, but we will insist on an email to me, the editor, with proof that you’ve dined in the place. Otherwise the rant will be immediately removed. Any comments which tiresomely claim we are biased in scored food reviews will be automatically removed.
A good friend of Confidential, Margaret Hope, defines the age of the internet troll as one of rights without responsibility. It's a clever line.
So we will police and remove comments far more rigorously then previously. We are well aware of what a minefield this can be and we’d much rather not do it. We're hoping that nobody much will notice the shift because it'll be self-policing. People are fundamentally decent.
But when individuals seemingly with a grudge against Confidential, individuals at Confidential or particular Manchester businesses, spoil a comment thread with explosions of unsubstantiated anger then we will react.
Jonathan Schofield - editor. jonathans@theconfidentials.co.uk
An old style debate with a rogue ranter on the right about to let fly from the shadows
