Comment issues – please read
As most of you know we have an open comment policy on OffG. No one is ever pre-modded and no comments are censored unless they are content-free trolling, grossly abusive, overtly threatening or incitements to violence against individuals or groups.
We’ve had upwards of 20,000 comments posted here since April 2015 when we launched. Probably less than fifty of these have had to be removed for above reasons. The decision to remove a comment is never taken lightly and it’s a vanishingly rare event here.
So we are very troubled to be told that many of you are finding your comments failing to appear, or even disappearing after posting. Understandably you suspect you are being silently censored.
We can assure you this is not true.
We do not and never will remove comments because we don’t agree with the opinions expressed. So unless you are posting racist incitements to violence or long screeds of content-free personal abuse of another commenter you will not be censored here.
If you comment goes missing and it doesn’t fall into the above categories the problem is either with your computer or with your internet connection or with the WordPress comment apparatus or with something else we can’t presently identify.
The issue concerns us, so we’ve put together this questionnaire to try and get some idea of how widespread it is. We’d really appreciate you taking the time to fill this in.
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Slightly off topic. No problems with comments, but I did once submit an article on the US economy that appeared to get the top billing treatment, but then disappeared after one day. But since it was probably technical I am inclined to let it pass. I also submitted what I thought was a very good piece from the ”American Conservative” which was not published. I realise that the word ‘conservative’ might be a red rag to a bull for some readers, but give credit where it is due, AC has been a strident and consistent critic of US foreign policy as have other libertarian US outfits like the Ron Paul Institute. I don’t think a purist/sectarian approach which excludes these diverse but principled political factions is either appropriate or good politics. Political purism is a luxury we can’t afford.
Right, that’s got that off my chest.
Another thing which has occurred to me is the general high quality of most of the articles, some being abosolutely timeless. I have been wondering for some time why Off-G has archived the articles which have been submitted by its own readers. Other equally cogent articles from other dissident sources will no doubt have been archived by their own people.
Just a few thoughts.
Fraternally
Frank
We pretty regularly publish stuff from what would once have been termed “conservative” perspectives. Not only in pursuance of varying perspectives but also because we hold to the view that the traditional right/left divisions make little sense any more after the Orwellian hijacking of language perpetrated in recent years.
Re.your article – it probably got shifted prematurely by some breaking issue or other – don’t let it deter you from submitting, we are great admirers of your work.
Is this the one?
https://off-guardian.org/2017/02/09/its-the-economy-stupid-the-gathering-storm/
Don’t quite understand your last question – “I have been wondering for some time why Off-G has archived the articles which have been submitted by its own readers.” Can you amplify/clarify? Currently the sentence does not compute in OffG’s collective brain 🙂
just trying this page, tried to post on another article and disappeared, twice.
I have never had any problems with posting my very occasional comments. As other people commented, I also like this website because the moderators seem to genuinely be searching for the truth behind all the BS that seems to pass for news in MSM nowadays.
I’d make the same remarks as savorywill.
Never a problem on this site, but these are strange times.
For example, tonight I received a reply to a You Tube post.
Only problem is, I don’t post on You Tube.
But there it was; a ridiculous post under my user name..
Empire of Chaos, etc…..
No comment problems either from me.
Same here.
Unfortunately your survey is biased. What about us, the majority, who have no problems with comments? How do we measure up to the “fake hysterical crowd”? [ð]
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Bit of an unfair comparison considering that those people effected literally can’t respond.
I regularly find my posts abort after pressing “Post Comment”. So often as to suspect that a buzz-filter, which rejects posts based on specified content, is operating.
I withdraw my previous allegation that this filter was installed by the Moderation team. However, there is clearly a server-side issue (deliberate or accidental) which is causing this to happen.
Your jibes about ‘fake hysterics’ cast you in a poor light, frankly.
Never have had a problem that I’m aware of. My comments tend to be infrequent and brief, made via a Samsung Chrome.
I did the poll. I had to select ‘rarely but usually fixes itself’ because ‘rarely but usually fixes itself now’ is not on offer. Only very recently has the problem lessened for me. It’s all very strange (as is the incredible zillion step process I have to go through to post, but at least I can post). But we’ve been told, repeatedly, that it’s all very strange for OG too. So I’m satisfied that it’s not OG’s staff. I intend to put my money where my mouth is as well. I just haven’t gotten around to it. No ads, no censorship, much sanity. What’s not to like about OG? I have a soft spot for a group of people who came together after experiencing censorship of the very kind I had been experiencing, and blogging about, for some time.
I’ve used various browsers on different Macs via Disqus, WP, twitter, Fb, with variable results.
Length of time may be a factor as pithy quick replies generally go straight in.
When they fail I get redirected after posting to the top of the page and the comment is not published – when trying anew via a different route I get ‘duplicate comment – looks like you’ve already said that!’
This is written in the browser window but I will trial composing in another app and pasting in – in case that works.
Absence or presence of URLS is not a factor.
I have no problems commenting, I comment directly via browser not via any account.
But you have to be logged in to something that identifies you – so are already ‘via’ whatever account that is.
My IP address identifies me wherever I go on the internet. I am not commenting via a Facebook, google or similar account.
I do have problems with certain sites and I believe it is my laptop, which can be dodgy, my WiFi and therefore, internet connection or smaller sites who aren’t able to receive, where my comment disappears after I have sent it. So far, no problem with OffG. If I did have a problem, it would likely be my end.
Been about a week since I’ve been able to comment on Off Graun. I’ve tried via my WordPress and Facebook accounts. More than 30 comments have gone missing. I’ve reset my computer. Cleared cache. Everything I can think of but the problem persists. Perhaps this comment will succeed because I haven’t been able to comment for a long time.
Wow, it worked! Can hardly believe it!!!
I’ve had problems with a few sites, but if I wait a few days the problem usually resolves itself. Worst times, are when Microsoft are sending updates from W.10 – then all hell breaks loose.
I’ve not had this problem with other sites and have continued commenting on MSM websites and places like Youtube without any issues. The only website my comp had a problem with was Off Graun. That said, if you’re reading this hopefully it’s cleared itself somehow. I use XP but doubt it’s an OS issue since all of browsing functionality is encapsulated within the browser. I always use the most up to date version of Firefox (auto updates).
My internet connection is top notch. Never slows. Never disconnects. Is never limited in any way.
XP isn’t supported by Microsoft any more and doesn’t get security updates, so just for your own security you might want to upgrade before going online. It probably isn’t causing the comment problem though. And tbh it’s debatable whether W7-10 are more secure or just more engineered to be vulnerable to the right kind of snooping
It’s ok. I gave up worrying about people snooping years ago. If they want to read my laundry list they can lol
Exactly, & how I miss W-’98 !
Don’t let it update mate. Better still get rid of windows 10.
I’ve never had a problem when submitting comments. That was a while ago as I’ve not sent any for some months. I continue to enjoy Off-Guardian and tweet the articles at times. I also appreciate reading the comments section.
Janet Beale
Personally, i have never had a problem.