At NorthernLife.ca, we believe a few things to be true.
We believe news is important and we believe providing a forum for people to air and share their opinions is important, too.
We believe the healthiest communities are those that don't shy away from robust debate on the issues of the day, and we believe a thriving media plays a critical role in that debate.
We don't create the news, but we do provide an avenue where the news and those who need it intersect.
When we as a news outlet express an opinion, we put our name to it. Our writers, columnists, editors — all of us who work together to bring you the news — write under their own names, because we believe credibility is important.
On the op-ed page of our print edition, Northern Life will not publish anonymous letters. It's a standing policy of most news outlets. It's more than just a tradition, though; it's a way of ensuring the opinions expressed come from real people.
An opinion without a source simply isn't credible, might be utter nonsense or worse, might be outright and deliberately false.
But for years, newspapers — and not only Northern Life — applied this rational to the printed edition, but not to the online, digital version of the paper.
So, we're changing. NorthernLife.ca will no longer allow people to comment anonymously. Readers who wish to comment will have to login using a Facebook account.
Why Facebook? Most of us already have it, so it makes an easy transition and an easy login process. You don't have to create any new accounts or include any new information. Your Facebook login name and password are all you need.
Besides our own moderator, Facebook also provides a second layer of verification that people are who they claim to be.
If you have a Disqus account at the moment, be aware it is no longer valid. You will have to create a new one — simply by logging in with your Facebook information.
We've put together a short FAQ (frequently asked questions) at the bottom of this article to help you out, but feel free to call or email if you have questions. We're happy to help set you up.
If you aren't a regular visitor to NorthernLife.ca, I would encourage you to visit. The site features new content hourly, and 20 to 30 new stories are posted there daily — more than we could ever cram into the newspaper.
If you want to keep your finger on the pulse of the city, why wait for Tuesday or Thursday?
Thanks for your time and please enjoy your next visit to NorthernLife.ca.
FAQ
Q: Do I need a Facebook account to comment?
A: Yes, you do. If you don't have a Facebook account, visit http://www.facebook.com and follow the simple steps. It's free. Once that's done, you can comment on NorthernLife.ca.
Q: Will my comments appear on my Facebook page?
A: They can, but the choice is yours. When posting a comment to NorthernLife.ca, you will be given the option to click or unclick a box marked “Post my comments to Facebook."
Q: Why is my picture at the bottom of the article, but I haven't commented?
A: If you've logged in with Facebook, your image appears in the comment section at the bottom of articles, but unless you actually type in a comment and hit "enter," nothing appears.
If you other questions, please don't hesitate to email [email protected].
Mark Gentili is Northern Life's managing editor.
