OK, the heavy stuff: In spite of the initial impression that some might receive, I do have standards. If you’re going to post comments at my blog, please bear these rules in mind:

• No spam or flooding (flooding is where you copy/paste/otherwise reproduce large amounts of material from another source. It is poor etiquette and in some cases it is not legal to reproduce another person’s work in full). A brief citation with a link for further reading is perfectly adequate.
• No profanity
• No blasphemous “cussing”
• No intentional off topic trolling
• No personal abuse
• Do not accuse other blog users of lying just because you do not agree with what they say
• No gratuitously sexual material
• Do not use my blog as a venue to promote/advertise your website/products
• Do not impersonate anyone

Lastly, and this is a biggie – no libel. Please do not make accusations against people (whether individual or corporate) that speak ill of them or lower their standing in the eyes of a reasonable person unless a) it can be substantiated as true, or b) it can be shown to be reasonably held. Saying that it’s just your genuine opinion won’t cut it if you accuse somebody. For example, “I don’t like him, and I just don’t trust him, he seems shifty” might be a reasonably held opinion even with no specific evidence of wrongdoing, but “He is a liar and he admitted to lying” is not. The latter is the kind of thing that must be substantiated. My policy on libel is not just a matter of good manners (although it certainly is that), it is a matter of law. If a potentially libellous comment is made, I will seek substantiation from the comment author, and if full substantiation is not provided, the comment will be removed. While such comments remain at my blog, they make me liable for their existence. Publishers of libel (that’s me, if you post libel at my blog) are no less vulnerable to legal action than authors of libel (that’s you, if you post libel at my blog).

Comments may be deleted in part or whole if they breach these standards. I don’t ask much, do I? I have never censored anyone’s comments just because I disagree with the opinion of the commenter and nor will I do so in future. I regard that as cowardly and wrong. I do reserve the right to edit content if I consider that it breaches these standards (or anything obvious that I’ve missed). As you’d expect, total discretion is mine in applying the above standards.

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