Hey Folks, we need your input here as we are releasing a new comment engine next week, and I think this is the perfect time to address some mistakes we have made in the past year.
We are aware that the video comments are out of control. The reason this has occurred is that we added the comments in last year as an afterthought with very little moderation capability. With 4.5 Million monthly visitors, it is impossible for the ~20 StreetFire moderators to keep up with all the comments, and I feel that StreetFire has lost many good potential members because of the immaturity of some posters.
Next week
we are rolling out Vidiac Version 3 that will clean up the comments (we hope). In the past the comments have been more like anonymous graffiti in a truck stop bathroom. Next week, the comments will be very specifically tied to a user whose history you can view and rate across all 1,000 Vidiac powered Sites (StreetFire included). You the 4.5 Million monthly StreetFire members will become 4.5 million individual moderators, and everyone will have the ability to rate everyone, and see how they have been rated and by who. Truly obscene users will be self moderated off the system.
So here is where we need your help. Do we keep the old comments on the new system or do we start over with a clean slate?
Many of the comments on StreetFire are inflammatory, and do not add value to the site. Some few posters have made a very valiant effort to post intelligent well though out posts.
Keeping the old comments will help establish a history so you have a basis to rate users. However, keeping the bad comments almost invites more bad behavior.
So, we have set up a poll to see what you think. Please invite as many people as you can to participate in the poll, as this is a year's worth of content (good and bad) and we feel it could have a lot of value or maybe it's not worth keeping. Because you our visitors have helped create it, we feel you should also decide if we grandfather it in, or wipe the slate clean and start over with a better comment system.
So, Click here to vote in the poll, and post your comments on this issue as well. Labels: Website update