Last October, when The Malta Independent website was re-launched in its present format, one of the changes that we introduced was the possibility for our readers to interact on stories with comments that were uploaded directly onto the site without being moderated.

We opted for this simply because it was a more effective and fast way for readers to pass their remarks, and we did so in full knowledge that this would have opened up a risk of having comments that could be insulting, racist, blasphemous and personal.

Readers could then flag comments that they did not like for the above reasons, which led to them either being removed if the complaint was justified, or approved if we thought that the complaint was trivial.

Today, more than four months later, we can say that in their great majority, readers have understood the concept and abide by the rules of common decency.

Unfortunately, however, there are some who insist in uploading comments that are offensive, and this is not something that can be tolerated.

The people who have abused our openness have been cautioned and told to be more judicious in their comments. Those who did not heed our instructions were blacklisted.

What we have done is not censorship. We believe in freedom of expression and gladly accept opinions which are not similar to our own. We have allowed comments that attack our policy and way of thinking. But there is a limit to everything.

Arguments are welcome, difference of opinion is acceptable and a debate on current issues is what makes the website a live thing. One can say what he or she wants to say without gratuitous offences and without calling people idiots, stupid, morons or worse.

The Malta Independent takes pride in a website that is growing month after month, and we will not allow anyone to abuse it. 

 

Stephen Calleja

The Malta Independent online editor