If someone can flag an innocent comment as inappropriate, then by the same right, could not the person whose comment was flagged turn around and do the same thing? Oh golly, then each “side” could just flag ALL the comments about everything and every issue until there would be a giant white space where once comments were…

QUOTE: “Obama’s supporters appear to be using — and abusing — a tool allowing them to “flag” questions as “inappropriate” to remove all questions mentioning Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich from the main pages of Obama’s website.” Well, perhaps they don’t want to discuss that there.

Perhaps they want to keep control and direct attention away from one subject & onto another. User-driven comment moderation goes on in a lot of forums. Isn’t that what a propaganda machine is for?

The very fact that we are even discussing it, and on another blog, shows that it is a brilliant marketing tool. If the majority don’t want the little nasties to be on their “Obama” site…then they are going to continue to flag comments.

If it gets out of control, we can rest assured that it will be dealt with. Freedom of Speech is not going to die over it.

I think it is yet too early in the game to nit-pick over Obama marketing strategies. He’s been wildly successful, we could even learn from it! Let’s not “strain out the gnat, and then gulp down the camel,” just yet.

QUOTE: “Community reporting systems like this are often vulnerable to abuse from committed partisans.” True. So?

I am certain the “other-side” will rush to their own “committed partisan” blog, social media, or website and clarify the issue, thus creating a grand balance in the “he said, she said” social/political propaganda marketing machine.

I say, “no worries.”
Keep reading.
Keep commenting.
Keep sharing ideas.
And if it suits you, and you have the freedom & ability to do so, keep flagging comments you deem unworthy of the elected official who has given us the emotional freedom to believe again that we can actually “fix” some things in this crazy economy we are enduring.