RTFA
March 1, 2017 5:22 PM Subscribe
Norwegian public broadcaster NRK is testing out a novel way to civilize its online comment sections: a multiple-choice quiz about the content. The feature, introduced last month, seems to be successful at keeping the trolls at bay and improving the quality of conversation in the comments section of the site.
...I was told there would be no math though
posted by Drumhellz at 5:27 PM on March 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Drumhellz at 5:27 PM on March 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
Ironically, the concern I had about this got assuaged when I read the articles myself.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:37 PM on March 1, 2017 [20 favorites]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:37 PM on March 1, 2017 [20 favorites]
read the articles? next thing you know, they'll be demanding that we actually think about what we're writing
posted by pyramid termite at 5:40 PM on March 1, 2017 [7 favorites]
posted by pyramid termite at 5:40 PM on March 1, 2017 [7 favorites]
Years of standardized testing have prepared me for this!
(I owe some teachers an apology?)
posted by traveler_ at 5:42 PM on March 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
(I owe some teachers an apology?)
posted by traveler_ at 5:42 PM on March 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
This is actually very clever, because the internet is quickly becoming a medium of influence for hire, and this will raise the costs to include reading.
posted by Brian B. at 5:47 PM on March 1, 2017 [15 favorites]
posted by Brian B. at 5:47 PM on March 1, 2017 [15 favorites]
Shameless plug because I've been doing this on my literary journal since December to some okay results. http://lit.cat/
posted by weewooweewoo at 5:48 PM on March 1, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by weewooweewoo at 5:48 PM on March 1, 2017 [6 favorites]
Also ironically, I would love to see the unfiltered comments from people who would object to this.
posted by cmoj at 6:01 PM on March 1, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by cmoj at 6:01 PM on March 1, 2017 [6 favorites]
MetaFilter: Next thing you know, they'll be demanding that we actually think about what we're writing.
posted by ZenMasterThis at 6:09 PM on March 1, 2017 [7 favorites]
posted by ZenMasterThis at 6:09 PM on March 1, 2017 [7 favorites]
Scandinavians hunting trolls. I feel that this might have been on TV lately...
posted by Nackt at 6:15 PM on March 1, 2017 [23 favorites]
posted by Nackt at 6:15 PM on March 1, 2017 [23 favorites]
I remember how being able to participate in chat in the web game Kingdom of Loathing involved a quest where you demonstrated your mastery over basic grammar and the ability to follow instructions. It was very effective at setting a friendly, respectful community attached to a juvenile, free webgame.
I think there's real value in thinking carefully about what your barriers to participation are. We're all familiar with captchas, which are barriers designed to make it hard for automated systems to participate, but there's other examples. For instance, MetaFilter requires a $5 payment via a credit or debit card, which certainly pushes out people who don't have $5 to spend on a news site but it means that everyone who did spend the money felt that $5 was a reasonable price to pay. Many a website (and movement) has found that no barriers to participation means that people who intend to be abusive have nothing to stop them from setting their own, informal barrier of 'put up with this jackoff'.
A good community is one that has a reason for existing. I think this particular strategy, restricting participation to people who can demonstrate they understand the article they're commenting on, is really elegant, and I'm thrilled to see that it's potentially successful.
posted by Merus at 6:20 PM on March 1, 2017 [17 favorites]
I think there's real value in thinking carefully about what your barriers to participation are. We're all familiar with captchas, which are barriers designed to make it hard for automated systems to participate, but there's other examples. For instance, MetaFilter requires a $5 payment via a credit or debit card, which certainly pushes out people who don't have $5 to spend on a news site but it means that everyone who did spend the money felt that $5 was a reasonable price to pay. Many a website (and movement) has found that no barriers to participation means that people who intend to be abusive have nothing to stop them from setting their own, informal barrier of 'put up with this jackoff'.
A good community is one that has a reason for existing. I think this particular strategy, restricting participation to people who can demonstrate they understand the article they're commenting on, is really elegant, and I'm thrilled to see that it's potentially successful.
posted by Merus at 6:20 PM on March 1, 2017 [17 favorites]
RTFA FTW.
posted by Splunge at 6:37 PM on March 1, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by Splunge at 6:37 PM on March 1, 2017 [3 favorites]
Merus: KoL has not only the Altar of Literacy but it has its Mr. Awesomes, which give ingame boost for $15. Pay-to-win microtransactions a decade before Candy Crush was a dream in someone's head, although it wasn't very addictive or that profitable.
posted by hleehowon at 6:37 PM on March 1, 2017
posted by hleehowon at 6:37 PM on March 1, 2017
I'd also like to see commenters be given the opportunity to rate the article, Amazon-style, and also rate a limited number of the comments, then have the news site offer Amazon-style filtering of the comments (mainly, by how many stars the commenter gave the article), to give readers control.
posted by Baeria at 6:42 PM on March 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Baeria at 6:42 PM on March 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
This is a great thread, five out of five stars. I received this account at a discount in exchange for my unbiased review comment.
posted by sysinfo at 6:51 PM on March 1, 2017 [14 favorites]
posted by sysinfo at 6:51 PM on March 1, 2017 [14 favorites]
KoL has not only the Altar of Literacy but it has its Mr. Awesomes
$10 for a Mr. Accessory.
I only mention this so I can be a fact after the Accessory.
posted by zamboni at 6:53 PM on March 1, 2017 [13 favorites]
$10 for a Mr. Accessory.
I only mention this so I can be a fact after the Accessory.
posted by zamboni at 6:53 PM on March 1, 2017 [13 favorites]
Homework!
posted by Alexandra Kitty at 9:07 PM on March 1, 2017
posted by Alexandra Kitty at 9:07 PM on March 1, 2017
There's a basic and obvious objection from a postmodern or post-structuralist perspective (but probably not even limited to either of these), but it's almost a given the people implementing something like this would not care and that's why they're doing it.
posted by polymodus at 9:18 PM on March 1, 2017
posted by polymodus at 9:18 PM on March 1, 2017
There's a basic and obvious objection from a postmodern or post-structuralist perspective
So what is it?
posted by cmoj at 10:50 PM on March 1, 2017 [5 favorites]
So what is it?
posted by cmoj at 10:50 PM on March 1, 2017 [5 favorites]
I am guessing the basic postmodern objection would be "there is no universal truth!" but - if people read the damn article - you are asked basic stuff like "what does this acronym mean within the context of this article" or "how many votes did Labour cast for this proposal?" which are pretty hard facts to deconstruct.
posted by kariebookish at 4:14 AM on March 2, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by kariebookish at 4:14 AM on March 2, 2017 [6 favorites]
People don't need to agree with the article. Just prove they know what is in it.
I like it.
posted by elizilla at 5:39 AM on March 2, 2017 [6 favorites]
I like it.
posted by elizilla at 5:39 AM on March 2, 2017 [6 favorites]
Hmm... RTFM quiz for software support forums.
posted by filtergik at 6:32 AM on March 2, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by filtergik at 6:32 AM on March 2, 2017 [3 favorites]
Bookmarking this for tomorrow's editorial meeting.
posted by Aya Hirano on the Astral Plane at 10:25 AM on March 2, 2017
posted by Aya Hirano on the Astral Plane at 10:25 AM on March 2, 2017
Great idea. I'm completely in favour of this. Website and blog owners don't 'owe' forums to anyone. Who wants their forum or comments section to be a podium for idiots (or a bridge for trolls to hide under)? And the hell of moderation, to boot.
posted by Artful Codger at 7:47 PM on March 2, 2017
posted by Artful Codger at 7:47 PM on March 2, 2017
VINDICATED! 1 2 3
IANAT is also a solid acronym: Internet Abuse Notification by Automatic Test.
posted by Brian B. at 7:14 AM on March 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
IANAT is also a solid acronym: Internet Abuse Notification by Automatic Test.
posted by Brian B. at 7:14 AM on March 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
IANAT is also a solid acronym: Internet Abuse Notification by Automatic Test.
Alternatively: I Am Not A Troll.
posted by Brian B. at 10:15 AM on March 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Alternatively: I Am Not A Troll.
posted by Brian B. at 10:15 AM on March 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
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posted by hleehowon at 5:25 PM on March 1, 2017 [7 favorites]