Why do people with an account comment anonymously and why does lit make it easy

[DeYaKen]

I've recently received anonymous comments from people that I'm sure have accounts. In one case it was very complimentary and in another it was critical but really not that bad. Most of us can recognise a writers style and the same goes for comments. People have favouriite words and phrases that they like to work in. They have a way of expressing themselves so it becomes quite obvious who wrote it, but they choose to use the comment anonymously button.

That brings me to the other point why does lit provide people who are logged in to comment anonymously? These people have the advantages of having an account (tracking favourites and posting in the forums) but aren't prepared to pay the price by having their name attached to their comments.

Before anyone tells me that I can switch off anonymous comments, I already know that and I don't wish to do it. I am just interested in what motivates people with an account to do this.

 

[lovecraft68]

I would say there is no one answer, everyone is different.

I know that during contests I mostly comment anonymously because I don't want any of the people who troll me personally to see I read that story then do it to them.

For some I think it could be the genre. Maybe a person with an id reads and comments in more "acceptable" categories like erotic encounters or group or interracial, but does not want people to know they like incest or non consent or maybe GM.

If the comment is critical then maybe they do not want retaliation if they are also an author.

I'm sure there are many more reasons.

As for why the site allows that option for members with ID? I couldn't answer that except that they seem to have a fear of eliminating anonymous here period even though it would go a long way towards cleaning up the site especially a pit like LW, but that's just my opinion.

 

[StrangeLife]

I pretty much always comment anonymously (unless I forget) and the reason is simply - like LC says - that I'm a writer myself. When I comment on a story, I am not commenting as SL the writer but as a reader, so it is fitting that I am doing it under a different name.

 

[lovecraft68]

I pretty much always comment anonymously (unless I forget) and the reason is simply - like LC says - that I'm a writer myself. When I comment on a story, I am not commenting as SL the writer but as a reader, so it is fitting that I am doing it under a different name.

And like the OP mentioned you outed yourself to me when you used a funny line on the boards you used in your comment I still laugh when I think about that one. A rare memorable comment.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

An anonymous reader left a nasty comment for one of my stories then fucked up by posting his account name at the bottom of the comment. He's an AH regular and dum as dog shit. PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN!

 

[StrangeLife]

And like the OP mentioned you outed yourself to me when you used a funny line on the boards you used in your comment I still laugh when I think about that one. A rare memorable comment.

Yeah, it's not easy sneaking under the radar among people who are skilled with words....

 

[lovecraft68]

Yeah, it's not easy sneaking under the radar among people who are skilled with words....

Nah, the problem is you're unique and your humor stands out.

And on that particular story you were one of the very few not swearing at me and calling for my balls and my life.

 

[Handley_Page]

Before anyone tells me that I can switch off anonymous comments, I already know that and I don't wish to do it.
I am just interested in what motivates people with an account to do this.

I can tell you why this reader leaves anon comments.
My log-in drops out at very inconvenient moments so if I leave a comment, I usually sign it HP.

 

[3113]

The reason is a good one if you think about it...

That brings me to the other point why does lit provide people who are logged in to comment anonymously? These people have the advantages of having an account (tracking favourites and posting in the forums) but aren't prepared to pay the price by having their name attached to their comments.

Your wording here kinda gives you away. If you knew their name, would you come after them and make them "pay the price" of their rude comments to you? Thing is, this is a free website. That means *no one* is paying anything. You don't pay to post your stories. People don't pay to read your stories. And you can post your stories under any name you like--anonymous included--with no one able to find out who you really are and come after you if you write something that offends them.

So...why shouldn't people post anonymous comments if they can? In a way that you can't come after them if you don't like what they said?

Because that's the other thing. There are trolls on both sides of the fence. I could read a story, post what you might consider a very nice and neutral comment like "Loved the characters, but I had trouble believing this part of the plot..." etc. And the writer could be a nut who might start sending me horrible pm's, threatening mail to my e-mail, trying to find out who I was and becoming obsessed with bullying me, just because I "criticized" his baby, his story. Or maybe one of their fans would do that to me.

You don't think this likely? There's all this news about the gaming world where some women objecting to the depiction of female characters in online games. Most of them did so mildly, rationally and without any kind of "agenda"--just trying to have a conversation about it. They put their names on their objections. Now men are threatening them with rape, with murder. Over a game.

Why allow anonymous comments? Because these people are out there. The writers here have ways to keep themselves from being bullied over the views they posted in a story--they can disallow comments. And those who want to comment on a story here have that same right to not be bullied for their views--by way of posting anonymously.

 

[lovecraft68]

Your wording here kinda gives you away. If you knew their name, would you come after them and make them "pay the price" of their rude comments to you? Thing is, this is a free website. That means *no one* is paying anything. You don't pay to post your stories. People don't pay to read your stories. And you can post your stories under any name you like--anonymous included--with no one able to find out who you really are and come after you if you write something that offends them.

So...why shouldn't people post anonymous comments if they can? In a way that you can't come after them if you don't like what they said?

Because that's the other thing. There are trolls on both sides of the fence. I could read a story, post what you might consider a very nice and neutral comment like "Loved the characters, but I had trouble believing this part of the plot..." etc. And the writer could be a nut who might start sending me horrible pm's, threatening mail to my e-mail, trying to find out who I was and becoming obsessed with bullying me, just because I "criticized" his baby, his story. Or maybe one of their fans would do that to me.

You don't think this likely? There's all this news about the gaming world where some women objecting to the depiction of female characters in online games. Most of them did so mildly, rationally and without any kind of "agenda"--just trying to have a conversation about it. They put their names on their objections. Now men are threatening them with rape, with murder. Over a game.

Why allow anonymous comments? Because these people are out there. The writers here have ways to keep themselves from being bullied over the views they posted in a story--they can disallow comments. And those who want to comment on a story here have that same right to not be bullied for their views--by way of posting anonymously.

There was an author here who was originally an editor for another author(he named him all the time) well the guy started his own series and my wife was a fan of it and sent him a couple of feedbacks and he replied cordially.

She asked when the next installment would be and he said it would be a long time because he had to edit two chapters of the other person's series. MY wife's reply was that she was surprised he would work on other people's things before his own work

The guy went off the deep end. Sending her this message calling her a cunt(you know the sites favorite word) and going on and on about the other author's story to the point he was close to saying he was doing God's good work editing for this lame brain. but Then it went into "you better watch out bitch because I have your e-mail and I can find you..."

so she did the right thingand did not reply, but she received an e-mail from him every day for a week each more violent than the last all ending with he'd find her.

Got to the point I sent him an e-mail saying I had his e-mail and explaining step by step how I could find out who he was. That of course was the end of him because he was a typical male coward.

Anonymous protects the men here. Women are not above being snarky and spiteful, but its the men that fill this site with hate and threats and they are the ones that anonymous protects.

Why? because they are cowards and I'll point out again that this is the behavior this site encourages. Look no further than scouries presence here to see that.

I will again state my case that eliminating anonymous would do a lot more good here than bad and stress once more that even with a handle you are still anonymous so what the hell is the point?

If you don't want repercussions as an author create an id just to comment, but the point is that one extra step of having to have an e-mail that could be traced iif necessary would eliminate half the trolling bullshit on the stories, hell it might make LW a respectable category again.

But that's not the sites preference, again this bad behavior is big time laughs here.

 

[PayDay]

There was an author here who was originally an editor for another author(he named him all the time) well the guy started his own series and my wife was a fan of it and sent him a couple of feedbacks and he replied cordially.

She asked when the next installment would be and he said it would be a long time because he had to edit two chapters of the other person's series. MY wife's reply was that she was surprised he would work on other people's things before his own work

The guy went off the deep end. Sending her this message calling her a cunt(you know the sites favorite word) and going on and on about the other author's story to the point he was close to saying he was doing God's good work editing for this lame brain. but Then it went into "you better watch out bitch because I have your e-mail and I can find you..."

estragon did the same thing when I told him he didn't know how to tell me how to write because he was an editor.

Go figure...

 

[Zeb_Carter]

You're posting in Loving Wives again, aren't you?

 

[lovecraft68]

estragon did the same thing when I told him he didn't know how to tell me how to write because he was an editor.

Go figure...

That's interesting....I had dealings with him and he seemed very pleasant.

From what I understand his family was very religious and they discovered he was here o lit and he had to leave because of that.

Pretty pathetic when a man in his sixties still has to cave to the ideals of close minded fools, even if they are blood.

Of course I benefit from being the kind of person that no matter what people said I did they would just say, "Yeah, I can see him doing that."

 

[DeYaKen]

Your wording here kinda gives you away. If you knew their name, would you come after them and make them "pay the price" of their rude comments to you? Thing is, this is a free website. That means *no one* is paying anything. You don't pay to post your stories. People don't pay to read your stories. And you can post your stories under any name you like--anonymous included--with no one able to find out who you really are and come after you if you write something that offends them.

So...why shouldn't people post anonymous comments if they can? In a way that you can't come after them if you don't like what they said?

Because that's the other thing. There are trolls on both sides of the fence. I could read a story, post what you might consider a very nice and neutral comment like "Loved the characters, but I had trouble believing this part of the plot..." etc. And the writer could be a nut who might start sending me horrible pm's, threatening mail to my e-mail, trying to find out who I was and becoming obsessed with bullying me, just because I "criticized" his baby, his story. Or maybe one of their fans would do that to me.

You don't think this likely? There's all this news about the gaming world where some women objecting to the depiction of female characters in online games. Most of them did so mildly, rationally and without any kind of "agenda"--just trying to have a conversation about it. They put their names on their objections. Now men are threatening them with rape, with murder. Over a game.

Why allow anonymous comments? Because these people are out there. The writers here have ways to keep themselves from being bullied over the views they posted in a story--they can disallow comments. And those who want to comment on a story here have that same right to not be bullied for their views--by way of posting anonymously.

Ah well that is where we differ I was brought up to think "If you can't say anything nice, say nothing at all. I don't write harsh comments If I have something like that to say then I will do it in a PM so that the world doesn't see a fellow writer being humiliated.

You seem very eager to judge me. Am I to assume that you do so because that is the way you would react. In which case you have indeed answered my question, and I thank you.

Personally I can't remember ever sending a nasty PM. I've received a few, who knows perhaps they were from you. Now I don't see anonymous PMs My mail client is set up to delete them. It amuses me to think of those poor misguided souls tapping out their vitriol not knowing that all there efforts are wasted.

I'd always assumed that it was normal to write only what you are prepared to stand by. Your response, and that of others has shown me I was wrong.

 

[lovecraft68]

Ah well that is where we differ I was brought up to think "If you can't say anything nice, say nothing at all. I don't write harsh comments If I have something like that to say then I will do it in a PM so that the world doesn't see a fellow writer being humiliated.

You seem very eager to judge me. Am I to assume that you do so because that is the way you would react. In which case you have indeed answered my question, and I thank you.

Personally I can't remember ever sending a nasty PM. I've received a few, who knows perhaps they were from you. Now I don't see anonymous PMs My mail client is set up to delete them. It amuses me to think of those poor misguided souls tapping out their vitriol not knowing that all there efforts are wasted.

I'd always assumed that it was normal to write only what you are prepared to stand by. Your response, and that of others has shown me I was wrong.

Wait, are you talking pm's or the lit feedback feature? Feedback, right? Because people without ID's can't send Pm's.

 

[DeYaKen]

Wait, are you talking pm's or the lit feedback feature? Feedback, right? Because people without ID's can't send Pm's.

Yes they can they click on your name on your profile and unless you have blocked anonymous feedback, whatever they write gets sent to your designated mailbox. The problem is that blocking anonymous feedback seems to block all feedback. Hence the email client solution.

 

[lovecraft68]

Yes they can they click on your name on your profile and unless you have blocked anonymous feedback, whatever they write gets sent to your designated mailbox. The problem is that blocking anonymous feedback seems to block all feedback. Hence the email client solution.

Right so you mean the messages that come to your e-mail, not your PM box here on the boards.

I leave mine on because I get a lot of good anon feedback, the dumb shit I ignore.

At this point I wish I saved them. I'm curious as to how many threats of death and beatings I've received to go along with the rape threats from people who think I'm female.

 

[HeyAll]

I think it's because that commenter doesn't want to receive negative emails back.

I look at the feedback portal a lot, and I've seen people literally say that when they've criticized a story, they get get negative messages from people who are fans of the story. That's why they post negative comments anonymously.

In other words, if I post a long (but valid) critics on a story comment section, then fans of the story/author are going to message me saying a bunch of stuff.

If you look at the feedback portal enough, you'll occasionally come across a number of back-and-forth exchanges between readers.

 

[lovecraft68]

I think it's because that commenter doesn't want to receive negative emails back.

I look at the feedback portal a lot, and I've seen people literally say that when they've criticized a story, they get get negative messages from people who are fans of the story. That's why they post negative comments anonymously.

In other words, if I post a long (but valid) critics on a story comment section, then fans of the story/author are going to message me saying a bunch of stuff.

If you look at the feedback portal enough, you'll occasionally come across a number of back-and-forth exchanges between readers.

You're right some fan basis are idiots. There's also an author I know here who has "sicced" people on posters through their blog.

 

[HeyAll]

One time, a few years ago, I saw a back-and-forth flaming between two posters on a story. The anonymous poster ACCIDENTALLY posted a comment using his account.

The other person laughed.

 

[3113]

You seem very eager to judge me.

I judged your words. You said "make them pay." That's not a forgiving or understanding sentiment. And it's narrow. If all comments were rude, you'd be right. But not all are rude. Should no one be allowed anonymity? Not even the nice people who just want to avoid trolls? .

I'd always assumed that it was normal to write only what you are prepared to stand by. Your response, and that of others has shown me I was wrong.

You seem very eager to judge me. Should LoveCraft's wife have been abused as she was for that comment to that editor? Should she have been harrassed on a daily basis? She would not have been if she hadn't given him her name. I've seen authors, using their own name here, harrassed off this forum, harrassed into moving and into hiding.

Would it be worth putting up with all that for writing up a brief critique of a story? I don't think so. In this new world of ours, I think you need to alter your view just a tad. Write under your own name only what you are prepared to endure harassment for. A stray comment on an erotic website? Not worth it.

 

[DeYaKen]

I judged your words. You said "make them pay." That's not a forgiving or understanding sentiment. And it's narrow. If all comments were rude, you'd be right. But not all are rude. Should no one be allowed anonymity? Not even the nice people who just want to avoid trolls? .

If you are going to quote me out of context you could at least get the quote right. I did not say I wanted to "make them pay" that is completely wrong and to put it in quotes is something of which you should be ashamed.
I said:
" but aren't prepared to pay the price by having their name attached to their comments." not a good choice of words I grant you but everyone else seems to have understood what I was getting at.

Your willingness to try and twist my words does you no credit and only reinforces my view that you are trying to judge me based on what you would do.

I cannot comment on the situation with Lovecraft's wife. I only know what has been written here and as I'm sure you know there are two sides to every argument.

If your answer to my question was because they are afraid of being harassed that is all you needed to say. I can understand that.

From what you say I guess I can now look forward to being hounded since my real name has been revealed on these boards by my stalker (she hasn't shown up here yet but I suppose there is time) and its fairly simple to find out.
Still I write so little on Lit that they probably don't think I'm worth it.

 

[DeYaKen]

One time, a few years ago, I saw a back-and-forth flaming between two posters on a story. The anonymous poster ACCIDENTALLY posted a comment using his account.

The other person laughed.

Yeah that would give me a giggle too.

 

[sr71plt]

Can you really have a back and forth anonymous comment discussion on a story? Doesn't the system only allow one anonymous comment on a story from an ISP?

 

[lovecraft68]

Can you really have a back and forth anonymous comment discussion on a story? Doesn't the system only allow one anonymous comment on a story from an ISP?

Good point.

But according to many people here there are ways to disguise your ISP or create multiple ones.

But if you check out a LW story(the usual source for this stuff) you will see the same anon posters arguing as the OP said and you can tell its the same people arguing because they're calling each other the same names and doing the @ so and so thing.