I have changed the settings on this blog to once again allow comments without registering with Blogger. I am hoping that we are done, for now at least, with the problem of posts by ringers who pretended to be Social Security employees or who made multiple postings to give the appearance that some point of view enjoyed widespread support when it didn't. I hope that now that the election is over, this nuttiness is behind us.
Of course, I never understood why people had a problem with registering with Blogger. It's not like it takes much time or requires divulging anything as personal as a real name, for instance. It inhibited commenting far more than I thought it would.
President Mitt Romney endorses this post. Signed an SSA employee.
ReplyDeleteMr. Hall:
ReplyDeleteThank you for reinstating the policy allowing comments by unregistered users. (I realize that your policy still allowed a level of anonymity).
You are not the first blogger to attempt to rein in totally anonymous comments and not the first to realize that “the game is not worth the candle.”
Anonymous comments are irksome to many people but they are, in my opinion, one of the best features of the Internet. I say this fully aware of the tremendous downside of anonymity in terms of misleading, untruthful and sometimes slanderous postings. However, anonymity also allows people to comment truthfully without employment repercussions and without the political correctness that sometimes leads to measured or self-edited statements. There are times in life to “stand up and be counted” but commenting on a blog is not one of those times, in my humble opinion.
Just for clarification, had you previously changed the anonymity settings partly in response to a complaint from someone in SSA management?
ReplyDeleteHis blog was useless without comments. Just a bunch of pasted news articles and his babbling. Then people have won. I'm an SSA employee that voted for Romney.
ReplyDeleteFinally, back in business.
ReplyDeleteGlad you done it mr hall.
ReplyDeleteBeing anonymous is a benefit of the internet.
Your longtime fave fans take the few outrageous anons with a grain of salt - or a few peanuts - as the case may be - this site performs a much needed and great service. We applaud you for taking the time, are glad you are here, and look forward to your posts. Thank you, Mr. Hall.
ReplyDeleteI went ahead and registered, irksome tho it was. I do think opening the board makes the most sense. The fruitcakes will be fruitcakes, and most of us are adult enough to ignore them--or at least put them in the proper perspective. Speaking of irksome, however, trying to see/decipher the numbers to prove you are not a robot...now that's a pain.
ReplyDeleteMr. Hall,
ReplyDeleteWhat leads you to believe that SSA employees do not comment on your blog or that people identifying themselves as SSA employees are lying? Some of the statements made by alleged SSA employees were so off the wall as to clearly not be believable, but often the comments were believable/reasonable.
people with the disabilities that make such registering a trial who have physical and intellectual challenges will skip commenting if registering is required...also people with limited computer time.
ReplyDeleteI feel a hit at the very people social security disability is there to help. Putting me down for problems with logic, time my hands work, etc...is below you sir.
There was a kind way to say the same thing and you chose not to use it. Snide is never attractive...
If you claim I am one of your fakes, I can't help that. All I can say is that my previous posts here were believable.
Way to go, Mr. Charles. Nancy Ortiz
ReplyDeleteAnd I still can't seem to publish my comment. Maybe the robot police are too powerful.
ReplyDeleteVery glad to see this change. I had problems registering. I just sign my posts (or try to remember to). Justin
ReplyDelete