Handling Anonymous Comments Posted to Your Blog

Posted: June 22, 2010

Dear Ann: There has been a lot of chatter lately about whether people who leave online comments should be required to identify themselves. Our CEO is thinking of starting a blog and has asked my opinion of how we should handle this. Can you give me some advice? Here's Ann's response about being at the mercy of comments posted by anonymous readers.

Ann New Headshot By Ann Subervi

The benefits of corporate blogging mainly involve freedom and immediacy. Provided you can find yourself an audience, you have all the freedom you could ever dream of to say what you want, when you want in the manner you want. Unlike the press release, whose relevance you have to sell to an editor or news director, you can write your blog exactly the way you want it to read.

Ah, freedom.

But most swords are double-edged, aren't they? You're not the only one who has freedom. Since every respectable blog allows for reader comments, you are also at the mercy of those reading your blog, who can just as freely and just as instantly say whatever they want about your post.

And the truth is that they don't need to stop there. If they want to take you to task for what you say, they can. But if they just want to rip you or your company to shreds, there's little to stop them - at least until you have a moment to review the comments and delete any unfriendly ones.

The comment section of your blog is the perfect opportunity for a disgruntled ex-employee or vendor, or anyone else who relishes the idea of taking a shot at you.

And that raises a curious ethical dilemma: If blog commentators don't want to post using their real names, there is little you can do to force them. And while no one says they must identify themselves, it's worth asking whether they should do so from an ethical perspective.

Jacqueline Kolek, a partner and senior director at New York-based Peppercom, and director of PepperDigital, believes the question is simple.

"There is an old adage that says 'if you can't say it to someone's face, don't say it all.'" Kolek says. "This is particularly relevant for social media. It is easy enough to identify who or where a comment is coming from based on the commenter's IP address. You should always assume that any comment can be traced back to you and therefore transparency is key."

I always sign my real name to anything I write, no matter where it is. Why? Well, for starters, I am confident in the quality of what I have to say. That doesn't mean I'm so arrogant as to think I'm always right, but I believe I make responsible, well-reasoned remarks. Why wouldn't I be happy to attach my name to them?

You also pay a price when you don't use your real name. One wonders if the power of the Declaration of Independence would have been a tad compromised if the big honkin' signature of John Hancock had read "Pissed Off in Virginia." We inherently respond to people more when they are willing to stand up and identify themselves.

Of course on the Internet, you're never as anonymous as you think. You may use a made-up name to sign your posts, but you can't fake your IP address (try as you may through a proxy server), and in the end, a blog owner who really wants to can usually figure out who you are.

But even if everyone wears a name tag, we still need to remember that corporate blogging is all about reputation management. You can't write your readers' comments for them, but you can control what shows up - or at least what remains - on your blog.

How aggressively should you do so? It's important to remember that not all disagreement makes you look bad. Sometimes a dissenting opinion adds to an interesting and spirited debate. If people feel they will be free to speak their minds and interact, you are likely to attract more readers and more participants. That's not a bad thing.

Kolek believes it's best to let negative comments remain on the blog, but to also have a clear policy stating the limits of what will be allowed.

"If you only allow positive comments, readers will see through it and likely not return," Kolek says. "However, there are limits. Corporate blogs should always have a commenting policy clearly displayed on their homepage. Written in a friendly tone, the policy should make it clear that any comments containing profanity or threatening language will be removed."

Just as well, you want to be willing to welcome comments from people who are respected in your field. On my Ethical Optimist blog, I occasionally get a comment from a person who is recognized in my industry. Sometimes they think I'm all wet, but their point of view is based on knowledge and experience, so I'm glad to have it.

At the same time, there are people (often those who like to hide behind anonymity) who use others' blogs as little more than a forum for venting anger. There's no need to allow content like that on your blog. And of course, you certainly don't want to allow people to use your blog to attack you or your reputation. I've seen bloggers who have had to deal with people leveling accusations, or in some cases bringing up information (accurate or not) about their companies that does nothing positive for their reputations.

Most blogs allow some form of user banishment, either by blocking an IP address or an e-mail address. You can also block certain words and phrases. If a certain person is constantly attacking you on a specific basis, you can block words or phrases that will make it difficult for the person to continue that line of attack.

In most cases, though, transparency is a great tonic. If people have to identify themselves, they are usually less willing to be vicious or irresponsible in their comments. I think the best ethical call is to use your own name in all cases. You can't force that on your readers, of course, but you can take steps to ensure that the content on your blog is consistent with your objectives.

And you should. It's your blog, after all, and you didn't create it to cause problems yourself or your reputation.