We put up just about any comment left on the site, after reviewing them, with few exceptions, which  requires  some explanation.

After 18 years of posting on an American political forum, I’ve come across all  kinds  of trolls, jokers… and  people with interesting points of view that have changed my own.

The thing is, however, that it is heavily monitored by a team for rule breakers because the site has a clearly explained set of norms that you should adhere too. Nevertheless, if you want a forum to run smoothly, you can’t bog it down with a myriad of rules.

Which brings me to the  online  version of the Seaside Gazette. The only no-noes here are hate-posting or something that could get us into trouble for libel.

Moderate bloody swearing is fine, but anything f**king stronger is not, however.

There have been two comments that I have not allowed through, one of which was an American poster who commented on the article  about the Guardia Civil, officer, shot, “Good job!” Now, that sort of comment might fly in the USA at the moment, given the number of “death-by-cop” cases, but it doesn’t here, especially in the case of this officer with clinical depression who was cornered in a gasolinera with a stolen sidearm.

An  exchange of shots took place. At no point did the said officer shoot a fellow officer and his colleagues first wounded him in the ankle, then in the leg, before inflicting a fatal chest wound  because, any shot around petrol pumps could have been catastrophic. and it couldn’t go on without risking  an explosion.

The second comment that didn’t get through was concerning the suicide case in Maro. The  person  who posted the comment stated that the police took bribes and that the Town Hall were OK with drug dealers.

When I get a dodgy comment, though, I contact the person via the email address they left and point out what the problem is. I suggested, in this case, a liberal use of “allegedly,” otherwise the person could be done for libel.

However, my email bounced right back as the poster had used a bogus email address. I trashed the comment immediately.

Some people forget that posting on social media is still ‘publishing’ and therefore they are bound by the same legal constraints as a paper publication  or any media format (radio and TV, etc). It is not the same, “the police are corrupt,” as, “In my opinion the police are corrupt,” and quite honestly, even though in a particular case it is an open secret, unless you can defend  your words in a court of law, then compose carefully.

So, in brief, we are quite happy to publish the tales of Warren’s lost flip flop or the dozens of Patrick’s comments on every article of all kinds because we are very grateful that people make the effort to make comments on the Seaside Gazette. By the way, Fred Davies just left a comment, which clicked up the over-all, comment counter to 4,000. Thanks, Folks!

(Editorial: Comments)