If you want to channel the atmosphere of a Trump rally, or know what it’s like to visit the Barrie bus terminal, or to sit in on a Christmas dinner hosted by a member of the KKK, just spend a few minutes browsing the comments section of any online news source.
It’s equal parts depressing and gratifying (though also, depending on your mood, hella entertaining).
Sadly, the Toronto Star is stripping us of this most satisfying rudimentary fulfilment. As of today, comments will forever be closed on thestar.com.
“We have turned off commenting on thestar.com effective Wednesday and instead we’ll be promoting and showcasing the comments our readers share across social media and in their letters and emails to our editors,” wrote the Star, recognizing that the majority of people with access to a keyboard are unfit to exercise their right to free speech.
“Our objective is to highlight the most thoughtful, insightful and provocative comments from readers.”
The new strategy means the amount of reader feedback that will see the light of day will likely hover around two per cent.
Disappointingly, the Star had already closed comments by the time the announcement was made, denying readers one last chance to write “this is f*cking bullsh*t! thanks Harper.”
This seems like a pretty big move in the age of the internet. It’s one thing to have a profanity clause, to hide outrageously offensive comments, or to ban users who continually abuse the platform (we see you trollin’) but to outright cut the comment cord seems like a drastic move that is either the future of the internet or somewhere far, far in the past.
Only time will tell.
One thing’s for sure, though: for those of you still using AOL, finding bands on MySpace, and making weekend plans on MSN, you can email feedback to the Star via comments@thestar.ca where no one will ever see it.
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