Based on some recent emails, there seems to be a little confusion about the feature that Disqus has implemented for us, so I'll explain a little more.
Originally, we allowed anonymous commenting so that anyone and everyone, including trolls, could comment away on any post. Even though you would have to sign up to Disqus using an email address, that address was never verified, which means that bogus addresses could be used without any fear of consequence. I think most, if not all, of you have seen what could happen when threads start to spiral out of control.
Now, we're requiring two things:
1. All readers who comment on posts must have a registered Disqus account.
2. Each Disqus account needs to be verified via a valid email address.
These two steps are hardly different from most message boards that send you an email to activate the account. Nothing new there. As for the email addresses themselves, we do not collect them or use them in any way. They're stored at Disqus along with your account there.
Readers who are still unable to comment should definitely not feel that they have been specifically banned from commenting (unless of course they're trolls, in which case we don't care :) ). If you're having trouble with the verification step, or have gone through it and are still unable to post comments, then email me or Liss so we can forward the issue on to Disqus. In the email, please be as detailed as possible about the problem you're having so that it will be easier for Disqus to identify and resolve the issue.
Again, the whole reason for this step is to help keep the threads under control and make life easier for everyone who is moderating them.
Carry on.
Shakesville is run as a safe space. First-time commenters: Please read Shakesville's Commenting Policy and Feminism 101 Section before commenting. We also do lots of in-thread moderation, so we ask that everyone read the entirety of any thread before commenting, to ensure compliance with any in-thread moderation. Thank you.
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