Commenting FAQs
Q. Why are you changing the commenting platform?
A. As we continue to add more benefits to our subscription offerings, the ability to participate in online discussions on CentralMaine.com will be for subscribers-only. We intend to use the commenting tool less frequently but with more depth where journalists can participate directly in the discussion or we can share additional insight into the reporting process. We are looking to create a higher level of engagement and reduce the volume of unproductive comments.
Q. How do I write a comment?
A. In order to comment, you must be a subscriber and logged into this website. If you are a subscriber, you can login here. Not a subscriber? Consider becoming one to add your voice to the conversation and help support local journalism.
The first time you write a comment, you will be asked to complete a quick registration process. It should take no more than one minute. You will be asked for a display name, which will be displayed publicly on this site.
Q. Why are comments available on some articles and not on others?
A. We will enable comments on stories that will generate a robust, respectful conversation. Comments are disabled on certain subjects that we have found to attract offensive, personal comments and attacks about other commenters, the story subjects or whole groups of people. We will also moderate comments to ensure the conversation remains respectful of others’ differences of opinion, life experiences and political and social views.
No one has a First Amendment right to insult others on the Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel’s site. Moderation is how we ensure our forums remain fair, inclusive and respectful.
We strive to be nonpartisan in the stories on which we enable comments, as well as the moderation of comments.
Q. What kind of comments are you looking for?
A. We are interested in articulate, well-informed remarks that are relevant to the article. We welcome your advice, your criticism and your unique insights and point of view. We are always open to your tips on improving the reporting or new story ideas.
Your comments should be civil and avoid name-calling. Please avoid off-topic remarks, personal attacks, obscenity, vulgarity, profanity (including expletives and letters followed by dashes), commercial promotion, impersonations, incoherence and SHOUTING. View our commenting terms of use here.
Q. Why can’t I add comments when I can see them on stories?
A. In order to comment, you must be a subscriber and logged into this website. If you are a subscriber, you can login here. Not a subscriber? Consider becoming one to add your voice to the conversation and help support local journalism.
The first time you write a comment, you will be asked to complete a quick registration process. It should take no more than one minute. You will be asked for a display name, which will be displayed publicly on this site.
You will need to check your email to confirm the registration. Please note that this registration is different from your subscription username and password.
Q. Why didn’t I get my confirmation email?
A. The confirmation email is sent automatically, but it may take a few minutes before it arrives in your Inbox. You may also want to check your Junk or Spam folder.
Q. Why do I have to register?
A. The commenting platform requires a registration to ensure that you are a “real” person and that you accept our terms and conditions.
Q. Should I use my real name when making comments?
A. When you register to comment, you will be asked for a display name, which will be displayed publicly on this site. We hope that our policy encourages you to use your real name. You will need to use your real email address in order to confirm your registration.
Q. How many people can register to comment using my subscription?
A. If multiple people use your subscription login, each person will need to register individually to comment. We allow up to five (5) logins per subscription.
Q. When and where will my comment be published?
A. Comments will appear on the story on the site. We reserve the right to display comments in a variety of ways, including within the text of articles, in print, or in advertisements. We also reserve the right to remove inappropriate comments, based on our commenting terms of use.
Q. Do you edit comments?
A. No, we do not edit comments. We do reserve the right to remove inappropriate comments, based on our commenting terms of use.
Q. What are featured comments?
A. Featured comments are selected by our staff.
Q. I’d like to receive an email when another reader replies to my comment. How does that work?
A. On the story you are commenting on, choose the “My profile” tab. Next select “Settings.” Check the box under notifications and you will get an email when a reader replies to one of your comments on this story. You’ll have to check the box on any story for which you want to enable notifications.
Q. I found an inappropriate comment. What do I do?
A. Users can flag a comment by clicking the “Report” at the bottom right corner of the offending comment area.
Q. What if I see an error in an article? What is the best way to suggest a correction?
A. You can suggest changes or improvements to a story by submitting this form.
Q. Will my comments appear in print?
A. There may be occasions where comments are used in print. Letters to the Editor is a better way to submit your thoughts for print consideration.
Q. What happened to old comments on the site?
A. Our sites previously integrated a third-party commenting platform called Disqus. All commenting data, as well as registration profiles, were hosted on the Disqus platform. We removed that platform entirely when we launched Talk, and therefore the comments submitted to Disqus are no longer viewable on our site. If you registered as a Disqus user on our website or on another website using Disqus, your login information will still work on Disqus.com and with other websites that use Disqus as a commenting tool.
Q. What if I have more questions?
A. Email us your question at comments@centralmaine.com