Reader Advocate: Rude Web site bullies are breaking rules

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2008, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Remember those tough times in elementary school when the biggest bully reigned supreme?

Remember also how happy you were when someone finally handed the bully his head?

Get your grin ready: We have folks working for our Web site, http://www.sltrib.com, who know how to deal with Internet bullies on our site.

Earlier this week, Manny Mellor, online editor, and some of his staff had a dust-up with an online commenter.

It seems, the party in question (who admitted he had not read the sltrib.com user agreement) got sideways with some other people commenting on the FLDS raid in Texas story.

And, the folks he ticked off reported him to the sltrib.com staff.

His access to make comments on stories was revoked, but after much begging, he has been allowed back on a probationary status.

The problem is, the reader says he does not understand why he was tossed off.

In an e-mail to Mellor that rivaled the length of some of his posts, the outcast wrote (in part):

" . . . ...contrary to other people's false assertions I am an EXTREMELY reasonable man always looking for reasonable compromise if it can be accomplished without sacrificing my principles. Because one of my principles is not dedicated to violating your user agreement, if this is TRULY your concern . . . then I will abide by it. It's that simple. . . .

". . . I guess it is kind of rude to post the long posts . . . I just feel SO PASSIONATELY about this subject . . . and I post the long posts because it saves me time; I get a lot of questions from people that those long posts answer for me . . . without having to reply again and again to the questions that I get . . . so it's like my version of a STICKY. You know what a sticky is right? on boards etc.

". . . So please sir, tell me EXACTLY what I need to comply with and I will comply with it. Please cut and paste for me the pertinent portions of your user agreement that you say that I am violating and I will comply with it

". . . So in short I am apologizing. I am really not here to cause havoc . . . I love people and I want to open people's hearts.

". . . My heart is SO BROKEN at what is happening here. I am literally crying right now for the first time at what has happened to these men, women and children. There are tears streaming down my face . . . not because I am depressed . . . because I am not . . . only because God's heart is broken and so is mine.

". . . Please sir . . . if this isn't about harming me because you don't like me . . . then please restore my privileges. Please tell me what to do and how to do it and I will stay within your guidelines."

Oh, sure, he will, but just to make sure all readers understand the basics, let me cover the bases.

When anyone signs up to make comments, he/she has to check a box that he/she has read the user agreement and that he/she accepted the restrictions.

Certainly we want lively reader comments on our Web site, so Mellor put together some tips on being a good cyberspace neighbor:

"We encourage a spirited discussion on Tribune articles, but we also expect users to treat each other with respect. It is possible to discuss differing views - even on politics and religion - without degrading the other's personal beliefs.

"Lately, long posts have been a problem and we have had to put a 2,000 character limit on comments. Most comments never come close to that. Most long posts are quickly voted down so they don't get read anyway. It's better to be concise.

"Some guidelines:

"Keep it clean - No lewd, vulgar or offensive comments.

"Be nice - Racist, sexist and degrading comments will be deleted.

"Be nice, part II - Don't threaten to hurt or kill other users.

"Be responsible - Don't post personal information about other users or violate copyrights.

"Keep it short - Nobody reads a 5,000 word post.

"Report abusive comments posted by others.

"Read the user agreement.

Enough said, but please pay close attention to the one about threatening to hurt or kill.

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* The Reader Advocate's phone number is 801-257-8782. Write to the Reader Advocate, The Salt Lake Tribune, 90 S. 400 West, Suite 700, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101. reader.advocate@sltrib.com.