How to make comment sections a space for public discourse

Community commenting invites readers to have a conversation by creating a space for public discourse on issues affecting your community. It sounds great in theory, but these spaces have historically turned toxic due to bots and trolls. 

Many newsrooms disabled public commenting for years, but now comments are making a comeback because they can engage audiences and drive revenue. My Edmonds News, a nonprofit newsroom in Washington and part of My Neighborhood News Group, was ready to create an online space that readers want to productively participate in.  

Innovation in Focus researched and tested multiple comment moderation tools to see whether automated moderation could reduce time spent reviewing comments and help create a more welcoming space for news readers.

Teaching the tool to help moderate comments pushed My Edmonds News to examine its own community guidelines, define what constructive participation should look like and align on how to apply those standards moving forward. 

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