4 ms·

NPR's mission statement doesn't include "a open forum where the users can speak to one another" though, and removing the comment section doesn't constitute cens

NPR's mission statement doesn't include "a open forum where the users can speak to one another" though, and removing the comment section doesn't constitute censorship. The web and many social media services are available for people to publicly and freely speak their mind, unlike some other governments, where censorship does in fact exist. Ultimately, I think moves like this are good for promoting a more decentralized version of the web where people host and manage their own content, e.g. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/08/technology/the-webs-creator-looks-to-reinvent-it.html http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/08/technology/the-webs-creato...

formula1 10y ago
"Above and beyond" are the key words here. If this was a 100% private sector I would be fine with it because its about the companies choice. But the fact it is associated to the gov opens up many questions. - how do gov programs want to accept feedback? - does the government want open forums and discusion places? - how much anonymity does the gov want to provide in such discussions? - what types of contracts forve a company by law to abide by government principles of discussion? We have laws of what you cant do. We also have laws such as "you can not deny a person water" in arizona [0]. Is the internet to be placed under similar laws or can I run a non-profit with my own agenda in mind with no interest in handling feedback from the taxpayers funding it? [0] http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/asked-answered/2014/09/17/asked-answered-free-water/15740067/ http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/asked-answered/201...
- tptacek 10y ago
  What other government resources should have comment sections? Should IRS.GOV?
  - formula1 10y ago
    Thats an interesting point actually. Their customer oriented subdomain doesnt accept comments in either. Also is pretty inactive. Perhaps this has been a long time coming and is only now happening to the bigger names http://taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/about/nta-blog http://taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/about/nta-blog https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qhVcm9Phi1c https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qhVcm9Phi1c Edit : Fbi alo doesnt accept comments https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/alaska-man-wanted-federal-agents-killed-in-murder-for-hire-case https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/alaska-man-wanted-federal-a...
- thaw13579 10y ago
  Those seem like interesting questions, but is a comment section attached to an NPR article any good for those? Users typically comment on the content of the story, at an unfortunately low signal-to-noise ratio. I think it's also worth considering the vast number of organizations receiving federal funding directly (and indirectly through tax breaks, subsidies, etc) and how practical a mandated per-organization discussion mechanism would be.

formula1 10y ago

"Above and beyond" are the key words here. If this was a 100% private sector I would be fine with it because its about the companies choice. But the fact it is associated to the gov opens up many questions. - how do gov programs want to accept feedback? - does the government want open forums and discusion places? - how much anonymity does the gov want to provide in such discussions? - what types of contracts forve a company by law to abide by government principles of discussion? We have laws of what you cant do. We also have laws such as "you can not deny a person water" in arizona [0]. Is the internet to be placed under similar laws or can I run a non-profit with my own agenda in mind with no interest in handling feedback from the taxpayers funding it? [0] http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/asked-answered/2014/09/17/asked-answered-free-water/15740067/ http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/asked-answered/201...

tptacek 10y ago
What other government resources should have comment sections? Should IRS.GOV?
- formula1 10y ago
  Thats an interesting point actually. Their customer oriented subdomain doesnt accept comments in either. Also is pretty inactive. Perhaps this has been a long time coming and is only now happening to the bigger names http://taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/about/nta-blog http://taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/about/nta-blog https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qhVcm9Phi1c https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qhVcm9Phi1c Edit : Fbi alo doesnt accept comments https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/alaska-man-wanted-federal-agents-killed-in-murder-for-hire-case https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/alaska-man-wanted-federal-a...
thaw13579 10y ago
Those seem like interesting questions, but is a comment section attached to an NPR article any good for those? Users typically comment on the content of the story, at an unfortunately low signal-to-noise ratio. I think it's also worth considering the vast number of organizations receiving federal funding directly (and indirectly through tax breaks, subsidies, etc) and how practical a mandated per-organization discussion mechanism would be.