Comment on Comment System Changes by Joshua Johnston
As I had tried to convey in the initial posting, we are in no way attempting to stifle the freedom of speech for anyone posting here on our site. As an example of this, I offer up our approval of your very criticism of our new policy.
Freedom of speech in our country does not cover all kinds of speech, nor does it cover all venues. There are certain words you can and cannot say on broadcast television during certain hours of the day, for example. It is absolutely true that a person can drop f-bombs on the Internet all day and all night without risk of criminal prosecution, but our concern was not merely with crude language.
The problems that led us to our current stance on requiring moderation, are ones which led into a far more dangerous legal area for any kind of website operator – whether they be a journalistic entity such as News Carson City, or a posting on a community general discussion board. The laws regarding slanderous or libelous content apply quite broadly across all mediums, and as News Carson City is a local operation without the backing of a major media corporation, our greatest editorial concern is legal exposure.
Additionally, some of the things which we have had to withdraw viewing on, could put the submitter at legal risk. We do not distribute email addresses or any personal information that we gather here at News Carson City, but such information can be subpoenaed from us in the event of litigation or a criminal investigation just as it could from any other website or company located in the United States.
Our job, our passion, is to inform our viewers. We are not trying to shape the narrative, we are merely trying to keep the discussion civil and legally secure. Again, if anyone has problems with anything they feel has been rejected, please contact me at the address given in my original posting.