Fighting Ghosts — the Challenge of Handling Anonymous Comments

The problem of anonymous comments is a very difficult issue facing many businesses  and organizations today, especially if they have entered the public arena with anything that is even mildly controversial.

The Internet has unleashed an era when vicious, demeaning, lying, slanderous, bigoted and ugly comments can be and are made anonymously. Most reputable news media sites try to block the most obviously offensive comments, but that by no means suggests that they block all of them.  One problem is that it is a subjective decision to drop or block comments. We might not find it difficult to say what has or has not crossed the line, but editors often do. Not to be flippant, but one of the best ways to combat this problem is to not read the comments.  If politicians read all the anonymous and often very sick garbage that is said about them on the Internet, they’d likely slit their wrists or resign.

Thompson & Bender Chairman Geoff Thompson

That said, you can try to respond to incorrect statements that are made, but do not expect much satisfaction from the effort.  Getting into an anonymous dialog is precisely that.  It’s a fight with ghosts and it can actually spawn more negatives and egg-on the enemy.  They want to get into a spitting match.  Only if we decide that we need to respond to certain specifics, should we join the free-for-all.

Unfortunately, there are going to be nasty things said by people who for one reason or another are opposed to just about any plan.  All will need to have a thick skin in this rough and tumble environment.  This is the reality.  Not so many years ago, if someone had something to say in the news media, they had to give their name.  Now, cowards are protected by anonymity — and that’s very miserable for those on the receiving end.

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