Should Dailykos become invite-only? (w/poll)
Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 06:41:33 AM PDT
This is a topic that comes up every once in a while, particularly after yet another popular collaborative blog turns to closed registration or invite-only. It was most recently debated in an unrelated posting, and so I thought I'd ask it as a poll.
Currently, as we all know, Dailykos has an automated and open registration process, which allows individuals with any motivations to register (and, if banned, re-register over and over). But it's generally thought that the benefits (a large and growing community with relatively diverse backgrounds and ideas) outweigh the pitfalls (having to constantly police trolls, and censor diaries which reflect poorly on the site and party.)
I've tended to support this open policy, especially since many years ago my first diary or two had a few people yelling "concern troll". :) But as this election gets closer, and it will likely be the most contentious and vicious election in our lifetime, I occasionally wonder if a more restricted system would allow a tighter reign on who's posting controversial copy.
Ultimately, from my perspective, it seems the system of hidden comments works better than any comparable system I've seen on any collaborative blog, and truly trollish or spammer or offensive comments are hidden within minutes. Like many of you, I'd really, really like the oppportunity to Trollrate a diary, not just comments, because those are on the front page and are generally assumed (by people who don't know Kos' open policy) to be endorsed, "official", Kos-approved postings. But I can also see why people are concerned that the closer we get to November 2008, the more that site-policing will occupy a great deal of a trusted user's time.
Any thoughts?
