Be nice. . . or else

by Dave Preston 

Peachland News has created a new dynamic when it comes to the news and community in Peachland. Never before have Peachlanders had the ability to instantly give their opinion on published stories. Never before have people had the ability to find out what others in the community are thinking about the news of the day.

The comment feature on Peachland News can be found, in some form, on the website of many major news outlets. It allows site visitors to participate in what’s going on. It is about the free flow of ideas and opinions. It is not about slamming, bashing, degrading, denigrating and taking pot shots behind anonymity.

To date, more than 1,300 comments have been published on Peachland News, representing hundreds of visitors and their opinions. The majority of them have been on topic. A few have not.

Slamming people, calling them names and being nasty is not allowed on Peachland News. Subscribers are not given free reign to write any derogatory comment they want.

You don’t like the colour chosen for the Primary School? Feel free to express that on Peachland News. If you don’t think council’s recent decision on such-and-such and issue was proper, Peachland News is the place to express your opinion.

Peachland News is not the place to call people names or slam them. A perfect example of this type of behaviour is the repeated attempts by a very few subscribers to denigrate, abuse and slam District of Peachland staff behind a cloak of anonymity.

When it comes to behaviour on websites, the Golden Rule applies. Would you want someone publicly slamming you or your inability to do anything right on a website that thousands of people visit?

This website now requires users to register a username before being allowed to comment. That greatly helps everyone in understanding which website persona is saying what, rather than having everyone named ‘Anonymous’. It also greatly assists Peachland News in identifying abusive people and banning them from this website. That step has not happened yet, but the right to do so is there nonetheless.

Be engaged. Be opinionated. Be involved. And be nice. . . or else.

P.S. If you really do have a problem with any District of Peachland staff, you are free to call Mayor Keith Fielding or CAO Elsie Lemke to discuss the situation.