Why I Delete Derogatory Comments

August 9th, 2008 | 13 comments

If you’re a blogger yourself, you’ve probably dealt with hateful comments. I get them once every month or two and some are published while others aren’t.

For instance, I just deleted a comment this morning on my last blog post left by someone who either didn’t read the entire post or didn’t understand what I was trying to get across. He said I have an 8th grade vocabulary and “real men” wear suits. Come on guy, go back to your cubicle lol

I guess he didn’t understand that I was simply trying to say “Don’t be fake.” If wearing a suite is “you” then wear a suite.

If he would have left a professional, courteous comment stating that he simply didn’t agree and why, I would have definitely published the comment. But instead, he decided to make hateful, immature comments on a blog post he didn’t understand in the first place.

Some people would say it’s wrong to delete a derogatory comment; I say it depends! There are few things I consider when a negative comment comes in:

1. Do they have a valid argument or do they just have a grudge for some reason?
2. Do they even understand what I’m saying?
3. Will this help anyone or just spread more negativity?

In general I believe a comment should add to the conversation. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with disagreeing with something. I know I’m not always right and a valid, non hateful argument should always be published, but to those who feel the need to leave an immature, hateful “bash” hah it’s not going to happen on my blog and it will most likely be marked as spam

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13 comments

Michael Cortes (1 comments.)
9th August, 2008 at 1:07 pm

I agree.

“You’re a moron”, “Get a clue”, or “It is idiots like you that are going to devalue and destroy the corporate culture and all the wonderful advances that it has created over the past 483 years.” are just not productive, helpful, or even contribute to the conversation.

“I don’t believe you have enough experience on this subject to make that judgement. Here is what I have seen to contridict that.”…

“There is some very good informations out there to the contrary. Please consider reading ‘Book A that shows you’, book b that show again’, or ‘this website’.”…

and “Your advice, if followed by too many employees would uproot the current corporate culture. That would not be a good thing because a,b, and c.”

All these would be productive alternates to the first 3, and would not deserve to be deleted.
Annie (1 comments.)
9th August, 2008 at 4:49 pm

Josh,

I agree. If it doesn’t further the conversation or make a point worth considering in some way, I often delete negative comments as well.

Fortunately I haven’t gotten too many like those you describe but when I have, they’ve been marked as spam.

~ Annie
Trent Brownrigg (13 comments.)
9th August, 2008 at 4:57 pm

Personally Josh I think you are an idiot and don’t have a F@^&ing clue what you are talking about. Deleting comments? Why would you do that you F#%&ing A$*hole?!?!

Ok I am totally joking! I agree with you. I delete unnecessary comments from my blogs all the time. I see nothing wrong with it.

I think a good percentage of the time people don’t read the whole post or any of the post before leaving their comments. It just makes them sound stupid.
Chuck (65 comments.)
9th August, 2008 at 7:54 pm

I couldn’t agree more about the worthlessness of troll posts…wherever they are…blog comments, forums, etc. I hate what anonymity has done to people. Unfortunately, idiocy appears to run rampant. One can only hope that things get better over time. I’m not sure how/when that will happen as long as people stay anonymous, though.

But you have to admit…he was right about that 8th grade vocabulary thing.

(just joshing)

*nudge*nudge* Did ya get that? Just “Josh”-ing? Bet ya never heard that one before, eh?
Al (1 comments.)
9th August, 2008 at 9:06 pm

I think it’s a personal decision, Josh. If you don’t want to take the time to address people who may be speaking out of turn or just plain biased or vindictive, that should be your decision alone.

Since I don’t publish a blog, I’m not sure how I might respond. I have had a couple of derogatory remarks made about my website but since those remarks don’t get published anywhere I simply deal with them on my own terms.

I’m not anyone’s super affiliate or marketing guru but I still try. And sometimes I get criticized because my site is less than ’stellar’.

That’s cool, I’ll keep learning and someday I’ll be where you are. And that’s nothing to be mocked. Let them eat cake. Just keep doing what you are doing. Your approach is refreshing because it is you. Not Marlon Sanders or Yanik Silver. Those guys have their own style but you are the first marketer I’ve seen who delivers honest ‘this is who I AM’ material.

Air those comments out or fire ‘em off into cyberspace. The decision is yours.

All the best,
Al Hughes
Step-by-Step Affiliate Marketing Guides (14 comments.)
10th August, 2008 at 6:51 am

I completely agree with and I think your points are totally valid and on my blog I pretty much follow the same policy of deletion as yours.
Ari (1 comments.)
10th August, 2008 at 9:04 am

I say leave them in. Yeah people hide behind the anonymity of the internet but so what people are still just that “people.” If someone comes on and disagrees with something -let them- otherwise, your blog is going to look a lot like what I see in some other blogs (which I stop reading coincidentally) that read like this:

“hey, great post! will follow…”

“right on man, great stuff, woohoo”

“hey, my search ending here… wow…”

“geez, i never knew that… woohoo…”

or the worst one so far:

“hey, here’s a great comment, now link me to your blog man, i really need the JUICE….”

What was that movie they did once about experimenting with everyone being happy all the time? Oh yeah, I think it was called Pleasantville and everyone was too damn happy! We need a little evil now and then (the JohnChow type of evil of course)…

Hey, I’ve got a bilingual blog and I get things said in BOTH languages lol

Keep the comments. They work for Jerry Springer like they work for the Inquirer. They can work here too.

Freedom of SPEECH!!! LIVES ON!!!
Yoshiko (1 comments.)
10th August, 2008 at 2:42 pm

I totally agree with you Josh. Instead of trying to explain your point, you could end up drawing more vindictive comments. Deleting the comment at inception is like snipping the bud. I guess most of us do that at times.

Cheers!
Yoshiko
Neil (26 comments.)
10th August, 2008 at 4:16 pm

Hi Josh

I completely agree with you. It’s so much better than trying to argue with people that aren’t being rational.

Neil
Mark Sierra at MeAndMyDrum.com (9 comments.)
11th August, 2008 at 4:34 am

I just don’t get it when people say it’s not right to delete comments and declare it’s infringing on a person’s freedom of speech.

My blog, my rules. Period.

If someone can’t say something without being rude, foul, hateful, etc., then they should crawl back under their rock and wait to cool off. It’s this whole thing about not being physically present when commenting that gives people the courage to say things they wouldn’t normally say in front of someone.

Like you, Josh, if a comment does meet my standards of acceptable language, then I’m going to delete it, or at the very least, remove any foul language to make it acceptable. If the author of that comment gets turned upside down over that, then they should comment on someone else’s blog.
Josh Spaulding
11th August, 2008 at 4:06 pm

@ Trent - I had my finger on the trigger Your last statement is very true. I’ve even been guilty of it from time to time, but then again, I typically won’t leave a comment unless I’ve read the entire post.

@ Chuck - I thought you dropped off the face of the earth, Chuck. Glad to hear from you

Very true… this guy left an email address, but no real name or URL, of course. Most people who leave similar comments do the same. Makes you wonder if they would even open there mouth if we were face to face. Something tells me they wouldn’t

That’s ironic, I had an 8th grade teacher who ALWAYS said “I’m just Joshin ya” I don’t hear it often though, fortunately

@ Al - Well, I bet if I asked 10 people what I could improve on this blog, I’d get 20 recommendations. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do, you can always improve. So, don’t let those people who criticize your site get to you, just keep on doing what you know is right. Thanks for the compliments.

@ Ari - It’s not people who don’t agree. Your comment was published wasn’t it? I don’t mind people who don’t agree, I just don’t like idiots who want to spread their negativity and hatred Big difference.

@ Yoshiko - Yep, that’s another point. Not only do you have that one comment, but it’s the birth of many more, in many cases. It’s just not helping anyone or anything and should be nuked right away.

@ Mark - Yep, it’s that whole lack of physical presence thing. There are a couple blogs out there that would have never made it where they are if it weren’t for their publishers hiding behind the online thing. People who call people assholes, cun** etc. on their blogs. lol There are a few bloggers I’d REALLY like to meet… I’d love to see how they react when I ask them to repeat what they said on their blog!
Paula (4 comments.)
12th August, 2008 at 7:11 am

I think a lot of them do it because it is a way of getting people to click through to their website or blog. Controversy always attracts attention.
Kelli (chatter box) (1 comments.)
12th August, 2008 at 4:20 pm

ok.. first.. LMAO @ chucks comment..

And second, I agree; You must contribute something if commenting. Josh, never have you written on an 8th grade level but you do make sure the newbies (as myself) understand the point you are trying to get across which to me is extremely important.

This gentleman just didn’t get your point. Side Bar Note>>> Plus he doesn’t understand that most of us working from home don’t miss the business suits, cubicles, office politics and for me Make-up even!!! ~smile~ I like my t-shirt, shorts n bare feet!! I sex it up when my hub takes me out on the town!