Indeed, there are many situations where someone opposing a web site will put a comment on it (assuming the site accepts outside comments) that is supposedly from a sympathetic person, but says something outlandish, or outright sick. The intent, of course, is to make the website look bad. Sometimes it's subtle enough that there is, in the end, no real way to tell if the person is a ringer, or just a nut. There are plenty of nuts out there, Left and Right.
Unsophisticated bloggers and web pages will sometimes pick up these comments, post them on their own site, and say "see? Look at how crazy those commies/wingers are!"
Smarter people call this selective example selection "nutpicking," a variation on "cherry picking." Nobody with any discernment will judge a blogger by his or her commenters when the comments are open to most comers.
Someone like Daily Kos, a leftist website, is particularly vulnerable, since much of the site consists of "diaries" added by many different people. I tend to take anything from that site used as an example of leftist craziness with a grain of salt, unless it's something Kos himself says.
The format of the Zone is pretty much ALL comments, and so far we have been lucky enough to be far enough off the beaten path to not attract the real loons. I suspect Robert has registration in the hopper if things ever get too weird around here. Many bloggers have resorted to it to keep things under control, and also avoid automated spammers, which also plague unregulated comment boards. I am registered to comment on many sites.
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Internet "ringers"
The whole thread (71 posts)
- The Proletariat is Winning at UPS.
- more graphic examples
- The Winger Inquisition strikes again
- Actually, I see it more as a lame Diego Rivera mural.
- Ummm...