Do what the author suggested, go post your opinions on a blog someplace. American Thinker's website is there to provide them a platform to get their content out. It's not there to provide people a platform to voice their opinions. The fact that they opened up that functionality to viewers was just graciousness on their part. If they feel they need to shut that function down in order to protect their business, then that's their prerogative, and doesn't affect peoples ability to post their thoughts on line in one bit; other than making people actually have to do a little work in order voice anonymous opinions on line.
I don’t believe that. Reader comments are an integral part of online media. I’m sure the advertisers would agree with me. As a business owner, I would much rather advertise on a site with an active, engaged reader comment section.
AT may not have the resources to moderate the content of their comments. They should deal with that quickly or they might be at risk of losing the business.
“American Thinker’s website is there to provide them a platform to get their content out.”
That’s fine. Then they should have never allowed comments to begin with. Why the change now?
good post... and in this era the fine line between free speech and CMA has thinned considerably...
Sites that have comments sections often see a “community” of regulars form due to that feature. It becomes an important part of the website to regular visitors even if the fools running the site arrogantly think everyone is just there for their content. Take it away, especially suddenly and with a poorly written explanation, and many will never return.
As they mentioned in their article, "their content" is reader submissions. They asked that readers submit essays instead of comments to get the reader's opinion published.
-PJ