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The following codicil has been appearing at the end of articles on Yahoo News! Especially on articles tackling "controversial" subjects such as mask mandates, homo and trans sexual bullying in schools, free speech and CRT in place of the comments section.

Our goal is to create a safe and engaging place for users to connect over interests and passions. In order to improve our community experience, we are temporarily suspending article commenting

Is it just me or is this completely hypocritical and bloody stupid or are such media outlets genuinely advocating for inclusiveness by not allowing debate?

LenHazell53 9 Oct 30
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7 comments

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0

Given the Republican/Christian standard of incivility and cruelty, especially as it relates to these issues, the policy makes good sense.

Perhaps, but I personally feel censorship is rarely if ever, a good thing

1

I'm going with completely hypocritical and bloody stupid. Pulling anyone away from a dangerous bubble topic can not happen without conversation. I get the idea of kindness (sometimes called tact or diplomacy) in conversation but an exchange must be facilitated or the bubble idea will grow because, generally speaking with anger, it feels good.

2

They have to suspend commenting until the trumpists, anti-vaxers, and q-loons learn that DEATH THREATS do not constitute commentary.

Are there not algorithms and moderators to deal with that sort of thing? I seem to recall that when I have seen such they can be reported, IP addresses traced and so forth?

@LenHazell53 there could be algorithms but if you prohibit hate speech the haters complain that they're being discriminated against.

@BitFlipper Threats and incitement to violence are not free speech nor even hate speech, they are criminal activities and so are subject to legitimate bias and are actionable

@LenHazell53 true. It's sad.

2

It's just you. [popsci.com]

Okay I was not talking about Popular science, I was referring to Yahoo News as I said.
However, having read their (PS) excuse for doing the same thing, it boils down to:
People are reading the comments more than the articles and believing them more than us scientists
That makes us feel you are all a bunch of thickos and sheeple, and we want you to shut up and go away
WHY? 'Cos you hurt our feelings and, that makes us feel like we are being bullied again like in school, So we can't be bothered to refute you, or make a good argument against you so....yah boo sucks to you....and feck off poopyhead!!!!
Now here's some nice sciencey stuff we can feel safe with.

@LenHazell53 I love sciencey stuff. Ghost hunting and shit like that. Not science, not spiritual, not anything but it sure scares us. Thought: Why are we so afraid of unproven and mostly unexperienced shit which didn't hurt anyone? I get curious but not fear yet that's what we lead with. Humans are odd and I think that's my point.

@rainmanjr I think some of the problem is that sometimes the obviously fictional becomes so important in peoples lives they begin to feel it is actually real. When it becomes dangerous because that attitude leads to obsessiveness and even "faith" and that is the point when people start getting threatened with death or are even killed.
This is why I personally feel it is important to catch this sort of thing and call it out for what it is at the earliest possible opportunity, and often that is in the comment section.

@LenHazell53 I've advanced to just making fun of the topics (not commentators) and bone-heads.

4

Maybe they’re tired as I am of all the trolls and assholes that pepper the comments section? Not only do I not bother commenting, I no longer scroll down below any article I’ve read or YouTube video I’ve seen… It’s too f’ing depressing.

So you are in favour of false information NOT being questioned or pointed out? But simply being accepted by virtue of its being there?

I simply scroll on to the next comment or scan for those that seem worth while and often read the threads. Especially if it's a confusing topic or one that I hold no immediate thoughts about. Sometimes I read something which cements my opinion but it's because the comment was good.

@LenHazell53 On the contrary, it’s just that the comment section is not the way to handle this, IMO. I have written to authors from time to time, but in private (point-to-point), and some have even thanked me. But just as I would never pick up a tabloid in the supermarket, I tend not to go to websites where I’m likely to find garbage and misinformation.

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Whatever the reason, it's to protect their own interests, not ours

To paraphrase Evelyn Beatrice Hall

*I disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it, just not on my platform where I might held responsible for you saying it, despite all my protestations and disclaimers, so I'm shutting down commenting.

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It's stifling "dialog"

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