To: Steve Newhouse, Advance Publications
End Anonymous Comments on News Media Sites
The tone of civilized discourse has been coarsened by allowing anonymous comments on news media sites such as Cleveland.com and other Newhouse properties. These comment sections should apply the same standard as Letters to the Editor with names, hometown, and verifiable phone numbers and email addresses.
Why is this important?
There has been an alarming trend on these news sites of individuals spreading hate and scurrilous lies by using the comment sections. News media sites should adopt the same standard they use in print editions in both quoting individuals rather than anonymous sources and identifying writers who pen letters to the editor. These news site are giving these cyber assasins a platform and also skewing the public debate.