Last edit by: Beltway2A
First attempt at a wiki, so feel free to wiki away at it (add blogs, add links, etc, etc):
Censors:
Delta Points (Rens Points)
Frugal Travel Guy
Milesabound - censors himself on rants
milesforfamily
MileValue
Million Mile Secrets
Very Good Points
Point Me To The Plane
Flyertalk
Travel Blogger Buzz - (proof is TBBs own words here)
TravelSkills
The Points Guy
The Points of Life
GodSaveThePoints
One Mile at a Time
Does Not Censor:
First2Board
Fishing4Deals
Food, Wine, and Miles
Hack My Trip
Head for Points
Miles From Blighty
Miles To The Wild
Points Summary
The Points Jock - Bill of Rights +1
ThreadTripping
Traveling Well For Less
Wald Around The World
Will Run For Miles
Doctor of Credit
View From the Wing
Censors:
Delta Points (Rens Points)
Frugal Travel Guy
Milesabound - censors himself on rants
milesforfamily
MileValue
Million Mile Secrets
Very Good Points
Point Me To The Plane
Flyertalk
Travel Blogger Buzz - (proof is TBBs own words here)
TravelSkills
The Points Guy
The Points of Life
GodSaveThePoints
One Mile at a Time
Does Not Censor:
First2Board
Fishing4Deals
Food, Wine, and Miles
Hack My Trip
Head for Points
Miles From Blighty
Miles To The Wild
Points Summary
The Points Jock - Bill of Rights +1
ThreadTripping
Traveling Well For Less
Wald Around The World
Will Run For Miles
Doctor of Credit
View From the Wing
Which miles and points blogs censor comments?
#46
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in PALMYRA, PA, USA
Posts: 58,512
Personally, I think your original action was perfect: correct the comment and call out the linkback as a blatant money-grab (assuming that's what you think it was).
If that generates controversy in your comments, then that is GOOD, right? After all, every click counts so any heat is good heat?
For example, I got called out by VFTW for doing a linkback to this forum. Check out comments 7,8 and 9 here: http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfr...sity/#comments
I don't think VFTW necessarily *liked* me linking back to FlyerTalk since it competes with MilePoint which he is a 'co-founder' of, but he let the comment stand with just a poke at me. Seemed both fair and appropriate to me...
If that generates controversy in your comments, then that is GOOD, right? After all, every click counts so any heat is good heat?
For example, I got called out by VFTW for doing a linkback to this forum. Check out comments 7,8 and 9 here: http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfr...sity/#comments
I don't think VFTW necessarily *liked* me linking back to FlyerTalk since it competes with MilePoint which he is a 'co-founder' of, but he let the comment stand with just a poke at me. Seemed both fair and appropriate to me...
#47
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
You contacted me and said you were going to edit the comment. I suggested you delete it instead if you thought it was spam. You chose to edit it anyways and not inform me of that decision, effectively representing your thoughts with my name on them. Congratulations on managing to censor, mislead and misrepresent, all in one move.
"Calling someone out" is very different from editing their comment so that it appears they wrote something different than they actually did.
#48
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 6,384
I think this is clouding the boundaries a bit. Should we change categories to include bloggers who censor when they want, censor when there's extremem profanity, and add another category where comments are moderated before they're posted? @:-)
#49
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in PALMYRA, PA, USA
Posts: 58,512
By 'correct,' I more precisely meant 'rebut.' The way VFTW rebutted my linkback with a teasing jab.
OTOH, I could see leaving and responding to the comment but redacting the link to the affiliate if the owner considered the link to be spam.
When FlyerTalk first started the only moderator was Randy. His moderation style was pretty random and arbitrary. But it did not drive business away. biddingfortravel had a very severe approach to moderation and imho it very definitely drove customers away. So moderation is, imho, simply one among many marketplace decision for these entrepreneurs to take.
I would say: wiki away!
#50
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,589
I have to agree that banning people's IP addresses without warning of any kind tends to drive people away. More precisely, it prevents them from adding any value to the forum by posting but it allows them to gather value from the forum by reading it. I never understood the logic of that strategy.
#51
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Brooklyn
Programs: AMEX Plat, AAdvantage Gold, UA, SPG Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 963
And the best part is how you misrepresented what I wrote in your blog to justify your actions.
You contacted me and said you were going to edit the comment. I suggested you delete it instead if you thought it was spam. You chose to edit it anyways and not inform me of that decision, effectively representing your thoughts with my name on them. Congratulations on managing to censor, mislead and misrepresent, all in one move.
So it is OK to censor someone if you disagree with them?
"Calling someone out" is very different from editing their comment so that it appears they wrote something different than they actually did.
You contacted me and said you were going to edit the comment. I suggested you delete it instead if you thought it was spam. You chose to edit it anyways and not inform me of that decision, effectively representing your thoughts with my name on them. Congratulations on managing to censor, mislead and misrepresent, all in one move.
So it is OK to censor someone if you disagree with them?
"Calling someone out" is very different from editing their comment so that it appears they wrote something different than they actually did.
I agree that I shouldn't have changed your affiliate link to head somewhere else (initially it was to hotels.com, later to evrewards both weren't the best thing to do) when you called me out on that I changed it.
I hope you will find that agreeable.
Also, I didn't contact you to say I was going to edit your comment. I contacted you to inform you that I did edit your comment.
#52
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: SPG Gold, HH Gold
Posts: 326
So I wanted to recall a pretty ridiculous situation not long ago:
A brother of a well known blogger made a highly arrogant, bitter and offensive post talking about a Harvard coworker. We can still see the starting part of the post as follows when we google it:
"It always fascinates me how dumb smart people are in life. In a company where traveling is part of the job, how can you not research on points and miles before you travel?! Honestly, you can just google the hotel chain with the word promotions and abou..."
It gets worse.
Many readers were highly highly offended and annoyed and responded with comments citing the arrogance and bitterness of the post. The post was edited to remove all the arrogant and disparaging bits toward Harvard students and the blogger apologized on behalf of the brother. Further commenters, seeing the edited post, commented how unfair the first few commenters were (commenting on a different post entirely) and I tried to comment explaining the post was edited. I wanted to defend the first few commenters explaining they commented on a different post. My comment was moderated, not approved and, furthermore, the first few commenters' comments were left up looking silly and unfair and as if they were overreacting to a far milder post.
I lost respect for the blogger and since stopped reading.
A brother of a well known blogger made a highly arrogant, bitter and offensive post talking about a Harvard coworker. We can still see the starting part of the post as follows when we google it:
"It always fascinates me how dumb smart people are in life. In a company where traveling is part of the job, how can you not research on points and miles before you travel?! Honestly, you can just google the hotel chain with the word promotions and abou..."
It gets worse.
Many readers were highly highly offended and annoyed and responded with comments citing the arrogance and bitterness of the post. The post was edited to remove all the arrogant and disparaging bits toward Harvard students and the blogger apologized on behalf of the brother. Further commenters, seeing the edited post, commented how unfair the first few commenters were (commenting on a different post entirely) and I tried to comment explaining the post was edited. I wanted to defend the first few commenters explaining they commented on a different post. My comment was moderated, not approved and, furthermore, the first few commenters' comments were left up looking silly and unfair and as if they were overreacting to a far milder post.
I lost respect for the blogger and since stopped reading.
#53
Join Date: Dec 2007
Programs: Aeroplan, BMI, Hyatt, SPG, PC
Posts: 606
#54
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: AA,UA SLV, SPG GLD,Hyatt GP Plat.,National Exec., Hertz Platinum
Posts: 237
Hey Guys,
I write for milevalue and I have never censored anything. Given that I only have written 20 posts and almost all of them being trip reports, I don't get too many inappropriate commenters.
The way it works (as far as I know) is that the people who comment regularly get instantly approved and new people who comment are put in the queue. Also, I only get access to approve comments for posts I write and not milevalue as a whole. Hope that brings some insight into how comments on our site work. I have no response for what others say about the better credit card links as i've never seen something like that on my posts.
-BMG
I write for milevalue and I have never censored anything. Given that I only have written 20 posts and almost all of them being trip reports, I don't get too many inappropriate commenters.
The way it works (as far as I know) is that the people who comment regularly get instantly approved and new people who comment are put in the queue. Also, I only get access to approve comments for posts I write and not milevalue as a whole. Hope that brings some insight into how comments on our site work. I have no response for what others say about the better credit card links as i've never seen something like that on my posts.
-BMG
#55
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,736
Hey Guys,
I write for milevalue and I have never censored anything. Given that I only have written 20 posts and almost all of them being trip reports, I don't get too many inappropriate commenters.
The way it works (as far as I know) is that the people who comment regularly get instantly approved and new people who comment are put in the queue. Also, I only get access to approve comments for posts I write and not milevalue as a whole. Hope that brings some insight into how comments on our site work. I have no response for what others say about the better credit card links as i've never seen something like that on my posts.
-BMG
I write for milevalue and I have never censored anything. Given that I only have written 20 posts and almost all of them being trip reports, I don't get too many inappropriate commenters.
The way it works (as far as I know) is that the people who comment regularly get instantly approved and new people who comment are put in the queue. Also, I only get access to approve comments for posts I write and not milevalue as a whole. Hope that brings some insight into how comments on our site work. I have no response for what others say about the better credit card links as i've never seen something like that on my posts.
-BMG
Which is fine. I don't have to read the blog.
#56
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: WAS
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Nexus, GE
Posts: 2,119
This is definitely an interesting discussion to read. Everything was pretty cut and dry on appropriate moderating until money got involved. Almost everyone agrees that profanity, rudeness, and ad hominem attacks are inappropriate.
This affiliate link business, though, is pretty murky. It seems definitely appropriate to comment on a post on someone else's as a way of simultaneously contributing and promoting your site. I have to say, adding an affiliate link directly to someone else's site seems to be inappropriate to me.
This affiliate link business, though, is pretty murky. It seems definitely appropriate to comment on a post on someone else's as a way of simultaneously contributing and promoting your site. I have to say, adding an affiliate link directly to someone else's site seems to be inappropriate to me.
#57
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: New York, NY
Programs: UA 1k, SPG Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 142
It's always hard to evaluate a situation until you experience something similar and see how you react. Until I have someone comment with an affiliate link in my blog, I cannot honestly argue concerning the situation.
However, on a similar note, I wrote a post explaining that people may take advantage of a certain "Spend $50 at Neiman Marcus, get 3500 FlexPerks" by buying a Neiman Marcus gift card and reselling it on PJ at a loss of about $7. ChasingThePoints clarified that, actually, if you want cash, there is an additional 2% cut so the loss will be $7.50 ($6.65 is for an Amazon gift card). Moreover, TCB is giving 1% cash back. Again, information I was missing was pointed out for a potentially better offer and I was extremely grateful that this was all clarified in my post. I gladly welcomed and appreciated the comment.
Again, there was no affiliate link so the situation is different. I may or may not have minded one (since I don't have a TCB affiliate link right now), but I can't say for sure until I experience it.
However, on a similar note, I wrote a post explaining that people may take advantage of a certain "Spend $50 at Neiman Marcus, get 3500 FlexPerks" by buying a Neiman Marcus gift card and reselling it on PJ at a loss of about $7. ChasingThePoints clarified that, actually, if you want cash, there is an additional 2% cut so the loss will be $7.50 ($6.65 is for an Amazon gift card). Moreover, TCB is giving 1% cash back. Again, information I was missing was pointed out for a potentially better offer and I was extremely grateful that this was all clarified in my post. I gladly welcomed and appreciated the comment.
Again, there was no affiliate link so the situation is different. I may or may not have minded one (since I don't have a TCB affiliate link right now), but I can't say for sure until I experience it.
#58
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 6,384
It's always hard to evaluate a situation until you experience something similar and see how you react. Until I have someone comment with an affiliate link in my blog, I cannot honestly argue concerning the situation.
However, on a similar note, I wrote a post explaining that people may take advantage of a certain "Spend $50 at Neiman Marcus, get 3500 FlexPerks" by buying a Neiman Marcus gift card and reselling it on PJ at a loss of about $7. ChasingThePoints clarified that, actually, if you want cash, there is an additional 2% cut so the loss will be $7.50 ($6.65 is for an Amazon gift card). Moreover, TCB is giving 1% cash back. Again, information I was missing was pointed out for a potentially better offer and I was extremely grateful that this was all clarified in my post. I gladly welcomed and appreciated the comment.
Again, there was no affiliate link so the situation is different. I may or may not have minded one (since I don't have a TCB affiliate link right now), but I can't say for sure until I experience it.
However, on a similar note, I wrote a post explaining that people may take advantage of a certain "Spend $50 at Neiman Marcus, get 3500 FlexPerks" by buying a Neiman Marcus gift card and reselling it on PJ at a loss of about $7. ChasingThePoints clarified that, actually, if you want cash, there is an additional 2% cut so the loss will be $7.50 ($6.65 is for an Amazon gift card). Moreover, TCB is giving 1% cash back. Again, information I was missing was pointed out for a potentially better offer and I was extremely grateful that this was all clarified in my post. I gladly welcomed and appreciated the comment.
Again, there was no affiliate link so the situation is different. I may or may not have minded one (since I don't have a TCB affiliate link right now), but I can't say for sure until I experience it.
#59
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 162
I don't know if you would call it censoring, but Gary does have moderation enabled and he has either chosen to not publish posts or accidentally deleted them. I recall one comment not getting published - it was not offensive or contentious. It may have been off topic a bit. No harm, no foul. It's his blog, not mine. I think he publishes the really offensive ones because, frankly, they are pretty funny and I think he knows his regular readers respect him.
#60
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in PALMYRA, PA, USA
Posts: 58,512
I don't know if you would call it censoring, but Gary does have moderation enabled and he has either chosen to not publish posts or accidentally deleted them. I recall one comment not getting published - it was not offensive or contentious. It may have been off topic a bit. No harm, no foul. It's his blog, not mine. I think he publishes the really offensive ones because, frankly, they are pretty funny and I think he knows his regular readers respect him.