I stopped going on Facebook regularly nearly a decade ago. Reading people’s posts in the lead-up to a divisive 2016 election depressed me or, more often, made me angry. And the comment sections — well, to this day, they’re a place I have no desire to tread. I find myself a whole lot more understanding when I engage directly with humans than furiously typing a retort on my keyboard and glaring at my computer screen.
When it comes to the Ink’s social media, our digital reporter, Tiffany Connolly, is the one who schedules out content and keeps the reporting team abreast of particularly pertinent conversations happening on our channels. She told me that on both Facebook and Instagram in general, My Shots (opinion pieces) and Shine Ons (editorial cartoons) receive the most comments and interactions. “Sprinkled in there,” she added, “are news stories that affect locals, like the Donner docks story, Tahoe City Safeway, and [You Asked. They Answered].”
I’m not here to repeat what Tiffany shared on the importance of community discourse in her June editor’s note, or even the toll that constant internet argument can take on individuals. Rather, I want to mention an interesting response Moonshine has received a few times when selecting comments to publish in our monthly Readers Reflect section in each print edition, and a subsequent new policy.
Each month, opinion editor Melissa Siig combs through our social media channels for a variety of responses to the latest edition’s stories in order to give readers an idea of the broader commentary around certain articles. The standard method is to ask the commenter if we may use their response (anything from “what a great story” to “this needs more context” to “so-and-so has something to say about this”) in the next print edition, as well as their name and place of residence.
On occasion, someone who comments something particularly nasty will refuse. “I don’t want to be part of this conversation,” Melissa was once told by an individual who certainly seemed to want to be part of the conversation multiple times in the comment section. It’s as if people are comfortable putting forth a view on Facebook, but balk when they’re invited to double down on a different medium.
In an effort to promote transparency across multiple platforms and encourage social media users to consider the far-reaching possibilities of engaging in such a public space as a Facebook page, we are implementing a new policy:
Henceforth, comments on Moonshine Ink’s social media posts are fair game for print. Users are willingly engaging on a news media post about a topic, and if they’re comfortable posting it on the internet, a monthly newspaper should be just fine. Per Facebook’s own fine print, Facebook pages are public spaces. The Ink will never select comments that are direct attacks on a particular demographic, include violent threats, or are unhelpful in moving a conversation forward.
Individuals will be notified via messenger their comment may be included in the next print edition and asked if they can confirm their name and place of residence, which will be printed alongside the comment. If the user has a major concern about publishing their comment, they can discuss with the opinion editor.
Maybe this will give social media users pause before they go head-to-head with that one guy who’s always trolling people, maybe it won’t. But commenting on your local paper’s posts can have an impact. For the most part, these are neighbors and leaders and teachers you’re engaging with. When you’re typing, remember there’s a human on the other side.
