User Accounts

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Comments & Moderation

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  • Q: What is the Huffington Post's Comment Policy?

    A: Community and Commenting Guiding Principles

    The Huffington Post has a thriving user community and actively encourages commenting on news stories and blog posts. We are dedicated to this community and strive to maintain a respectful, engaging and informative conversation. Towards that end, we have general guidelines for commenting. They are enforced 24/7 by a moderating system that features a team of staff and community moderators, and moderation tools. If you wish to participate in the community, we ask that you follow the guidelines below and the spirit of the community they seek to create.

    (I) If your comments consistently or intentionally make this community a less civil and enjoyable place to be, you and your comments will be excluded from it.

    The Huffington Post promotes a receptive, transparent and civil atmosphere for comments and users. Critical, in-depth and intelligent discussions and debates are encouraged and the best of these are highlighted in various ways, such as through the Community Pundit program. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to voice their opinion regardless of identity, politics, ideology, religion or agreement with other community members, the author of the post or staff members as long as those opinions are respectful and constructively add to the conversation. However, this community does not tolerate direct or indirect attacks, name-calling or insults, nor does it tolerate intentional attempts to derail, hijack, troll or bait others into an emotional response. These types of comments will be removed from the community where warranted. Individuals who consistently or intentionally post these types of comments will be warned and, if necessary, excluded from the community.

    (II) Many comments are pre-moderated.

    To maintain a civil atmosphere, our moderation team may read comments before they are displayed to other users. If this is the case, you may see your comment pending approval. Approval times can vary depending on the site-wide comment load, so please be patient -- we will get to all comments as quickly as possible.

    (III) The community monitors itself, in conjunction with the core moderation team - and you can help! Every member of this community has the power and responsibility to help elevate the level of conversation and remove the trolls who would degrade it. On every comment, you can "Fan and Favorite" (F&F) users who are posting great content, or flag a comment for review by a moderator. Taking these simple actions helps bring great content to the top and removes bad content quickly. Community members who consistently and reliably flag comments that are removed by our moderators may be given additional tools that will allow them to hide or remove comments entirely. We take this ability very seriously and if you see any of the "community moderators" acting inappropriately, please report them to us.

    (IV) Be yourself, only yourself, and just one of yourself. Every person's opinion is valuable and unique. Pretending to be someone else removes that unique value from you or from others. Don't misrepresent yourself or others, spread mis-information, create multiple accounts or "astroturf". If you do, you will make the community a less enjoyable and valuable place to be and will be removed when we see it.

    (V) This community is a safe space. We strongly believe that the Huffington Post should be a safe space for individuals, groups and their ideas. As such, violent and hostile language or calls for violence and hostility are not welcome here. If you directly or indirectly threaten the physical or mental well being of a member of this community, or an individual or group who is the subject of an article, you will be removed immediately. If a credible threat is made against an individual or group, not only will it be removed but it is likely that it will be reported to law enforcement agencies and we will cooperate with them to any extent requested. Personal identifiable information should never be posted to the Huffington Post comments section. It never turns out well for anyone. If you see any threats, harassment or personal information trolling please report it quickly.

    (VI) If you have comments, we are here and we have real people who read and reply.

    If you have complaints, questions, concerns, or just feedback - positive or critical - please get in touch with us here.

  • Q: I posted a comment. Why can't I see it on the site?

    A: There are two scenarios under which your comment may not appear:

    1. 1. It may be pending approval. Comments on the blog are moderated BEFORE they appear on the site, and this takes time. Since the volume of comments on the site has grown rapidly, there is often a delay between a comment being posted and it being approved, especially during peak hours. We appreciate your patience and ask that you refrain from posting the same comment repeatedly.
    2. 2. Your comment violated the policy above. We pride ourselves in providing a medium for engaging and thought-provoking stories and encourage our users to speak their minds freely, provided comments fall within our commenting policy. We must respect our writers and protect them from vicious and inflammatory comments. They too are entitled to free speech- the right to share their opinions without being subject to scathing and mean-spirited remarks.
  • Q: Why am I blocked from commenting on HuffPost?

    A: There are a few scenarios under a comment might be blocked:

    1. 1. A comment is extremely abusive, off-topic, uses excessive foul language, or includes an ad hominem attack.
    2. 2. If a commenter has previously posted comments that are abusive, off-topic, used excessive foul language, or include ad hominem attacks, a Huff Post moderator may decide to ban the commenter's IP address. This means the abusive commenter is banned from commenting on the site in the future, even if the later comments are not abusive.
  • Q: Can I include HTML in my comments?

    A: We remove all html from comments to preserve formatting consistency.

  • Q: If you don't allow any HTML, how can I include a link in my comment?

    A: If you include a URL in your comment, it will be converted to a link. Please note, comments containing links to personal blogs and other inappropriate sites will be deleted. Only links to relevant news stories or sites are acceptable.

  • Q: There is a comment that I find insulting and in violation of your policy. What can I do?

    A: You can flag the comment as abusive by pressing the Flag As Abusive link below the comment. This alerts our moderators and delete the comments that don't comply with our policy.

  • Q: What is the "Follow" link?

    A: When you find a commenter you like, you can press the Follow link next to the commenter's name. Your vote will appear on your profile page and on the profile page of that commenter. This way you can keep track of the commenters you like and those who like you. We are working on a way to alert you when your favorite commenters post new comments on the site.

  • Q: What does the "Favorite" link mean?

    A: If you think a comment is particularly great, you can select it as a favorite. This will help us track the best commenters on the site.

  • Q: Can I follow a blogger?

    A: Absolutely. Each blogger has their own profile page that includes their bios and a Follow link. You can find this page by clicking on a blogger's name.

  • Q: Can I print comments?

    A: Unfortunately, there is no way to print comments right now. We are building a feature that will let you print comments but for the time being, you can copy and paste them into another program and print them from there.

Social Reading

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  • See what your friends are reading

    At the top of each article, you can see which of your friends have read the same story you're reading.

    To see see what else your friends have read lately, just mouse over their profile pics.

    If you’re the first of your friends to read an article, we’ll let you know. Want to see what else your friends are reading? Just click click the social reading bar to reveal your friends’ profile pics.

    Oh, and another thing: You don't have to share your own reading activity to see what your friends are reading. Of course, it’s not as much fun for your friends if you don’t share what you’re reading, but that’s entirely up to you.

  • Share only the stories you want

    Once you've enabled social reading, it doesn't mean that each time you visit a new article it will instantly be shared. In fact, an article is only shared once you’ve scrolled down the page far enough for us to assume that you’re actually reading it.

    In order to stop an article from being shared, just click the read sharing button.

    Green means on.

    Gray means off.

    It’s that simple!

    If you’ve already shared an article and want to un-share it, no problem. Just click the button so that it’s off (gray) and the article will be removed from your reading history and your friends won’t be able to see that you’ve read it.

  • Full control over what you share

    Your default share settings hide anything our editors have deemed Not Safe For Work, so you don't have to worry about accidentally sharing articles or slideshows that you might not want your friends to see.

    For even more privacy, you can hide your reading activity from your friends while still seeing what they’re reading by selecting “Don’t share what I’m reading” on the settings menu.

    And if you want your friends to know all that you read on HuffPost -- share everything!

  • View or edit your reading history on Facebook timeline

    Accidentally shared something that you didn't want to? No problem.

    Regardless of your share settings, you will always able to view or delete individual articles from your reading history. Just click “View/edit reading history” and you’ll be sent directly to your social reading history on your Facebook timeline.

    Please note: In order to use HuffPost Social Reading, you must have timeline enabled.

    Click here to learn more about Facebook Timeline.

    You might have noticed that there are only answers in this section. Well, that’s because this feature is new and we don’t presume to know what you’ll frequently ask. If you’ve read everything here and still have questions about Social Reading or any other feature on our site, feel free to contact us at support@huffingtonpost.com and we’ll do our best to quickly respond.
    ~HuffPost Social Team

Badges

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  • Q: What are HuffPost Social Badges?

    A: HuffPost Badges recognize and empower HuffPost readers and users. So far, we're focusing on these key areas of user activity on the site: connecting with others, engaging with our content, accurate flagging of abusive comments, and writing and submitting well thought-out and exceptional comments. We're highlighting these areas and recognizing the top users in them.

  • Q: When someone gives me a Gift Badge, how do I reciprocate?

    A: The best way to reciprocate is to check out the comments they've made by going to their user profile. Find the best comments and open them by clicking the 'permalink,' then give the comment a Gift Badge.

  • Q: What are Gift Badges?

    A: Gift Badges can be gifted from one user to another. Initially, they will only appear on comments which they are given to, but if a user receives enough of one type, it will show up on all of your comments. For more information, see this post.

  • Q: When someone gives me a Gift Badge, how do I reciprocate?

    A: The best way to reciprocate is to check out the comments they've made by going to their user profile. Find the best comments and open them by clicking the 'permalink,' then give the comment a Gift Badge.

  • Q: What do each of the Gift Badges mean?

    A: The Gift Badges were designed to be self-explanatory. If you are not sure what one of them means, please ask using the contact us page.

  • Q: Why can't I give some users Gift Badges?

    A: Users who have opted out of the Badge program cannot receive Gift Badges.

  • Q: Why isn't the Gift Badge that I got showing up on all of my comments?

    A: Gift Badges appear on comments that they are gifted to. However, if you get enough Gift Badges of one type, it will be displayed on all of your comments.

  • Q: Why can't I give any more badges?

    A: Gift Badges are limited, but replenished one per day per user, so be sure to only gift the best comments out there.

  • Q: I hate HuffPost Badges! How do I get rid of these things?

    A: If you don't want to participate in the Badges program (including Gift Badges), you can opt-out by editing your social preferences here:

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/users/social-preferences/

    Uncheck the box under "Badges"

  • Q: HuffPost Badges are awesome! How do I attain more? And how do I earn a higher Level on my Badges?

    A: Aside from Gift Badges, which are given by other users, Badges are earned based on your activity on the site. If you want to attain a certain level, your activity on the site should meet the descriptions below.

  • Q: What's a "Networker"? How can I become one?

    A: If you're well above average when it comes to being connected with friends and followers, you'll receive a level 1 Networker Badge. If you're among the most-connected users in terms of friends and followers, and if you've connected your HuffPost account to your Facebook or Twitter account, we make you a level 2 Networker, upgrade your Badge, and feature your comments in red. If you're like many users, you'll want to collect more fans and friends so you can level up! And don't forget to connect your Facebook or Twitter account to your HuffPost account.

  • Q: What's a "Superuser"? How can I become one?

    A: If you've been busy commenting on HuffPost and sharing stories to Facebook and Twitter, we'll award you with a Level 1 Superuser Badge. If you're among the busiest, most engaged users when it comes to commenting and sharing, and if you've connected your HuffPost account to your Facebook or Twitter account, then we make you a Level 2 Networker, upgrade your Badge, and feature your comments in purple. If you're like many users, you'll want to comment and share even more, so you can level up! And don't forget to connect your Facebook or Twitter account to your HuffPost account.

  • Q: What's a "Moderator"? How can I become one?

    A: To receive the CM badge, consistently and accurately flag abusive comments. You'll be trusted to remove inappropriate comments from the site as long as you handle the task responsibly.

  • Q: What's a "Community Pundit"? How can I become one?

    A: You can earn a Pundit badge by consistently contributing insightful, informative, and engaging commentary. We look at our Community Pundits as conversation starters. They are being recognized for driving discussions surrounding our news coverage -- regardless of their political leanings. For more details see here.

  • Q: I don't understand why linking a Facebook account or a Twitter account to my HuffPost account has anything to do with Badges? Why is it a requirement?

    A: Connecting your Facebook account or your Twitter account is required to advance to a Level 2 Networker and Level 2 Superuser. It is not required for any other Levels. So far, the users who have connected their Facebook or Twitter accounts have helped make HuffPost a more dynamic and interesting place. We expect this trend to continue, and want to reward users who link other social networking profiles to their HuffPost profile.

  • Q: Once I earn a Badge, can I lose it?

    A: Yes, you can lose a Badge. If you lose too many friends or followers, you may lose your Networker Badge or be demoted a Badge level. If you disconnect your Facebook or Twitter account from your HuffPost account, your Networker or Superuser Badge might be demoted a Badge level. If your number of published comments fall because too many were deleted for being inappropriate, you may lose your Superuser Badge. If you don't maintain a sufficiently high ratio of successful flags to mistaken flags, or if you fail to use the enhanced authority responsibly, you'll lose your Community Moderator Badge.

  • Q: I lost a Badge and I don't know why, what happened?

    A: If you're unsure why you lost your Badge, check out the FAQ above. If you're still unsure, send us a message using the contact us page.