What kind of comments are we looking for?
SNL24 wants to hear your voice and welcomes healthy debate in our comments section. We know you have strong opinions and we want to give you as many opportunities as possible to discuss the stories we publish. We understand that conversations can get spirited, but please argue fairly and be constructive. Treat others as you expect to be treated. To have your comment published, you should aim to reflect the values and ethical standards we adhere to as determined by the South African Press Council's press code. Give us your thoughts, ideas, criticism and insights on the topic at hand in a respectful manner.
What kind of comments don't we want?
Here are a few things we won't tolerate: personal attacks, vulgarity, profanity (including censored expletives), false personas, spamming, incoherence, irrelevant and off-topic comments.
Most importantly, racist, sexist, offensive and abusive comments or any form of hate speech will not be tolerated, as set out by section 16(2) of the South African Constitution.
We recognise that there is a difference between criticising particular beliefs, institutions, communities or the government as a constitutionally enshrined right to free speech, and attacking people on the basis of their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age. We will not tolerate the latter or any comments that could be interpreted as such.
Readers undertake not to post comments to SNL24 that may be illegal, defamatory, infringing, harassing, obscene, commercial advertising, personal marketing, untrue, incorrect or harmful and we reserve the right to remove such content.
Why do we moderate comments?
Our aim is to create a space for constructive conversations between you, our readers. By moderating comments, we make sure it stays relevant and respectful, and adds value to the quality of our reportage and your experience as a reader.
While moderation decisions are subjective, our moderators strive to be fair and consistent at all times. Their moderation decisions are final. It is unfortunately not possible for us to enter into correspondence regarding all moderation activity. We will however read all correspondence and take action where necessary.
Why are comments closed on certain articles?
We reserve the right to close comments on specific topics or articles. Comments on an article will be closed after two days. We may also decide to close comments on an article after a certain period if the conversation no longer contributes to the substance of the debate. This is to ensure that the conversation remains civil and constructive.
Why are comments for registered users only?
As a registered user you have the privilege of being part of and shaping the conversation. Our goal is to create a welcoming, engaging place built on a foundation of trust and respect between our readers and our journalists. We hope that this will also encourage members to take responsibility for their comments.
When and where will your comments be published?
Your comments are published at the bottom of the article you made them on. Moderation may be less frequent in the evening and on weekends. Please be patient with us during these hours.
Why did your comment disappear when you posted it?
If your comment does not immediately appear on the site after posting, it may have been flagged for review. There are a number of things which will get your comment flagged for review, including the use of words regarded by our system as suspect. We ask that you please keep that in mind before resubmitting the comment multiple times or contacting us about it. If your comment disappeared, it does not necessarily mean it has been rejected. It may appear if a moderator has approved it. Set your preferences under My Profile to receive a notification once your comment has been reviewed.
Can you criticise SNL24 publications in the comments?
We welcome strong opinions and criticism of our work, and won't hesitate to approve these. However, personal attacks on our journalists, writers or brands are not allowed. Criticism should be directed at the substance of articles.
Why have you been given a timeout and how long will it last?
Our moderators may decide to give you a timeout if you behave in a way that transgresses our policy or threatens the values of respect and civility we strive to uphold in our comments section. If you make the same transgression three times, you will be given a timeout. Your timeout will last 24 hours after which you will be able to comment again. If you receive three timeouts and our moderators see fit, you may be banned permanently from participating in the comments section. If you register with an offensive username, you will be given a timeout until you change your username.
Why have you been banned from commenting?
Participants who seriously, persistently or willfully contravene our commenting policy or terms and conditions will have their posting privileges withdrawn. This is not an action that we take lightly or arbitrarily. We are aiming to create a valuable experience consistent with SNL24's values, and we reserve the right to make decisions which we feel support that.
Can you appeal your ban?
You can appeal your ban by emailing [email protected]. The decision to overturn a ban or not happens at the discretion of the SNL24 moderators and is final. Include the name of the SNL24 publication whose story you commented on in the email header.
Should you share tips on possible news stories in the comments? What if you spot an error and want to report it?
We value your input.
- To give feedback on a Daily Sun story, email us at [email protected]
- For Soccer Laduma, email [email protected]
- For KickOff, email [email protected]
Can you edit or delete your comment?
You can edit your comment for a short period after you posted it in order to correct typos and errors. You cannot delete your comment after posting it. If there is a serious reason for your comment to be deleted you may contact the SNL24 moderators.
How do you report an offensive or abusive comment?
You can report a comment by hitting the "report" button at the bottom of the comment. We encourage you to report untrue, inaccurate, defamatory, illegal, infringing and/or harmful comments. We undertake to correct and/or remove such content or any part thereof if the person reporting such content provided reasonable grounds to prove the alleged nature of the content.
Why is my comment in a language other than English not approved?
All the SNL24 publications are English language publications and to be fair to all our readers, who may not understand all 11 official languages, we only allow comments in English, with the exception of colloquialisms and commonly known words and phrases.
