Opinion piece on anonymous commenting up on Portsmouth Patch

By John McDaid | Wednesday, 9 February 2011

I've got an opinion piece up today on Portsmouth Patch, "Should Portsmouth Patch Users Post Only Under Real Names?"

Hope all my readers here will pop over and take a look — and join the discussion.

Tags: 
Localblogging, 02871, Patch

Comments

English

Wed, 02/09/2011 - 7:53pm

I would love to speak openly and use my real name, both here and on the Patch. Unfortunately, I worry that my job may be in jeopardy if I speak out and ask questions about finances and policy in a public way. There are teachers in the US who have lost their jobs for posting negative comments about their administrators on their Facebook pages. I do not trust this School Committee. I recognize my own hypocrisy because I value speaking truth to power and questioning authority. I value speaking with authority. But some members of this new group do not follow all the rules. I am trying to believe that this is part of their learning curve, but I currently remain skeptical.

Interestingly, I am not afraid to speak openly at public forums, but worry that words in "print" could be used differently. However, I do not believe that hiding behind a screen name gives anyone the right to be crude or rude or to attack; I find that sort of discussion disgusting and unproductive. But it is important that those of use who know what questions need to be asked continue to make others aware of what those questions are. There is also a lot of misinformation out there, some of it perpetuated by the administration and School Committee. No one is "working to rule", for example.

John McDaid

Wed, 02/09/2011 - 8:41pm

Hi, English...
First, let me thank you for you comments, present and past, and reassure you, and everyone else, that I have no intention of changing my policy on pseudonyms on this site. While I'm a citizen journalist, I make no pretense that this site is a commons, a digital agora, or a town square. This is a fundamentally different type of space from Patch, and my terms of use have never required real names. Patch, if it is to be a community site, requires, to my mind, a true, honest community.

I can understand your reticence in being outspoken, particularly in current circumstances. And I recognize the need for anonymity in providing information and asking pointed questions. But what I would respectfully suggest is that there is a mechanism for that: the press.

Anyone can call a reporter and tell them something off the record (I would not advise the use of e-mail, obviously.) Journalists are bound by their code of ethics to protect sources -- who are, in most cases, also protected by law -- from disclosure. You can call Sandy McGee, or Jim Johnson and set the record straight if there is misinformation. I guarantee they will listen. Journalists want nothing more than to get things right.

That doesn't mean they will always run the story -- journalists will in necessarily make judgments. But they will listen, and they will take what you say into account as they write stories and question officials.

And you are, of course, free to post here as whoever you wish. And I sincerely hope you do.

Best,
-j