Stuff comments: our commitment to constructive community conversations

Friday, 29 January 2021

Healthy democracies thrive when its members can safely and respectfully share their views, debate issues, challenge authority and ask questions.

So while many media companies locally and internationally have shut down their comment sections, at Stuff we believe the comment section is a key place for democratising the news. For 150 years our newspapers have had a letters to the editor page so readers can tell us what they think about what we report, and how we report it. The comment section offers a similar opportunity for Stuff members.

But like any good democracy, it only functions if everyone plays by the rules.

Cleaning house

Stuff’s comment section has a long and checkered past. We’re not proud of the toxins that crept in from the fringes in the early days of comments.

So in the past few years we’ve taken a number of steps to ensure the section is a place where people can share their views without fear of being abused or bullied.

Oh, sure, you know how to argue. But can you argue well? Let White Man Behind A Desk teach you how. (First published in 2016, but it holds up.)

In 2016 our Civil Society project saw a radical rewrite of our policies, and a tightening up of moderation standards.

Then in March 2019, as the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in Christchurch shone light into the darkest corners of the internet, we introduced even stricter terms and conditions for the platform. We became more explicit about not tolerating personal attacks or prejudice, and created a list of topics which we no longer open comments on at all.

In early 2021, our comment platform got an upgrade, giving us more tools to encourage the kind of conversations we think make comments worth it.

Frank, not free, speech

We’re firm believers in free speech at Stuff, but that doesn't mean our comment section is a free-for-all. We welcome robust debate, and we're happy to be called out on our work, but our terms and conditions are designed to protect our members, our staff and our wider community from hate speech, misinformation and abuse. Free speech isn’t free if it harms others.

We offer a moderated discussion space, with terms and conditions we are entitled to set. The Media Council of New Zealand has ruled that publication of user comments is at the discretion of the media outlet.

Have your say

To join the conversation on Stuff, you need to be a member. Signing up is a simple process, and enables you to have your say on the issues affecting you, the stories you relate to, the perspectives you want to debate. We encourage you to contribute to our democracy by having your voice heard, and we commit to ensuring you can do that in a safe and civil environment.

You can also give us feedback on our comment policies or our moderation via email on comments@stuff.co.nz.