Today marks day 2 of June’s NaBloPoMo, and the writing prompt for today is as follows:

Do you have commenting guidelines for your readers? Today is a great time to let them know the commenting policy for your blog (or set some new expectations).

Come to think of it, I do not have any specific guidelines written down and posted for commenters, though I like to think my number one commenting rule — Don’t be an asshole — is pretty obvious.  Then again, given the number of asshole comments I’ve received on my blogs since I began this journey 3 years ago, maybe it’s not.

And it’s not just my blog offenders flock to.  When I was writing for Yahoo!, I had to actually quit reading the comments altogether, partly because Yahoo!’s policy at the time was that writers could not respond to and engage with commenters anyway, and partly because with each new rude comment I would read on my articles as well as on those of fellow writers, my desire to live on this planet another day dwindled exponentially.  To this day, I cannot stand to read comments on Yahoo! articles, for those comments are, in my opinion, some of the worst specimens of human creation to litter the world in which we live.  (To be fair, there are some Yahoo! commenters out there who seem to have their heads screwed onto their bodies, but alas, they are few and far between.)

Sadly, horrible comments can be found just about anywhere on the interwebs, from social media threads to YouTube videos, and I blame two things for this:

1. Some people are just narcissistic, self-absorbed egomaniacs with zero concern for the feelings of anyone other than themselves or the impact their actions could have on others, and

2. As most of us are digital immigrants navigating this new world of technology and communication solo, we are left to pave our own pathways with little to no guidance when it comes to being good digital citizens (something my colleagues and I are trying very hard to change for students sitting in our classrooms right now).

In an effort to do my part to change the ways in which we communicate with others in the digital environment, I have brainstormed some online commenting guidelines every communicator on the internet should follow.  If we make these guidelines as commonplace as chewing with our mouths closed and saying our pleases and thank yous, we will be on our way to making online interaction both civil and enjoyable.

Commenting Guidelines Every Online Reader Should Follow

Avoid personal attacks and jabs in comments.  Whether these are directed toward the writer/creator or fellow commenters, personal attacks and jabs are never acceptable.  Instead, commenters should focus on the content only, making connections to something the writer/creator has said, offering other perspectives on the topic, or disagreeing respectfully.

Avoid using hateful language that marginalizes a person or group based on ethnicity, gender, ability, sexual orientation, etc.  An extension of the first guideline, this one requires that commenters not use words and phrases such as “how gay” and “that’s so retarded” as well as racial slurs or offensive comments about gender, to name a few.  Again, commenters should focus on content only and contribute thoughtful, productive ideas to extend the conversation.

Imagine saying what you’re about to type directly to someone’s face.  Commenting online offers a certain air of anonymity and with it, a little extra courage some commenters might not normally exhibit.  Just because commenters can remain behind the safety of their computer screens or smart phones does not give them license to be rude or disrespectful.  If you wouldn’t feel comfortable saying it in person, you shouldn’t say it online either.

Put yourself in the writer’s/creator’s/other commenters’ shoes.  It is crucial for commenters to consider how they might feel were they the recipient of the comment they’re tempted to leave.  If they might feel offended or hurt by it, commenters should consider rewording or scrapping the comment altogether.

Know that freedom of speech does not equal freedom to harm or offend.  Many people equate their constitutional right to say what they want with a right to be a complete jerk to others.  While legally many offensive remarks might be protected (though not all remarks and content are, something commenters should educate themselves about), this does not mean they are socially acceptable or appropriate for online communication.  Commenters should not misconstrue their right to say what they want with a right to intentionally harm or offend, for using that right for the sole purpose of hurting others is abusing that right entirely (and in some cases, comes with legal consequences).

Offer only information you have researched well or are certain of.  Browse your Facebook timeline for 10 minutes on any evening, and chances are, you’ll come across at least 1 or 2 posts others have discredited in a matter of seconds with a simple link to Snopes.  People must take care to ensure the content of their comments is accurate or to at least provide a disclaimer that they’re not sure about the credibility of what they’re saying.  Just because it said so somewhere else on the internet does not automatically make it true, and commenters have a responsibility to make this clear to those with whom they’re communicating.

Think before you post.  It’s as simple as that.  If every commenter took the time to consider the accuracy, relevance, and potential consequences of what they’re about to post, online commenting and communication would be so much better for everyone involved.

What other commenting guidelines would you offer to online communicators?