Readers have been able to comment on stories for some time now. That
feature has sparked some lively debate and allowed greater interaction
with our readers – and they with each other – that we welcomed. The
feature has also generated some irrational and ugly nastiness. We let
the conversations flow pretty freely for the most part – we allowed
folks to post anonymously, we moderated with a light hand and left
shutting off comments completely as a last resort.

As time has gone on, however, the need to more closely manage comments
and commenters has grown. The new registration requirement is simple for
users but will give us more ability to manage comments and keep the
conversation civil.

How does it work? When you go to comment on one of our stories, you will
first need to register. All we’re asking for is a username and a valid
e-mail. We prefer you use your real name, but we do not require it. We
do require a valid e-mail, however. Once you enter that information on
our site, you will be sent an e-mail with a link to a confirmation page.
Click on or copy and paste the link into your browser, and you’ll be
good to go – to comment on the intended story and on others for months
to come. Some e-mail programs drop the final “=” sign in the URL. If
you’re having trouble registering, make sure the URL for the
registration confirmation page contains that final “=” If you continue
to have trouble registering to comment, contact us.

We know registration won’t keep all inappropriate comments off all
stories all the time, but we do think it will immediately improve the
situation. We hope that, over time the conversations on our site will be
the kind of conversations we all want to have – lively, informative and
interesting.