Our Policy on Reviews & Comments
Hi there. Welcome to the local section of The A.V. Club. We hope you find the site useful, fun, and easy to use. To make sure it stays that way, we continually monitor what goes on The A.V. Club. Obviously that includes everything we write and photograph, but that also includes the stuff The A.V. Club users write and/or photograph.
That’s where it gets tricky. The Internet can bring out the worst in otherwise decent people, so the The A.V. Club staff tries its best to keep things civil, smart, and useful. How? We’re glad you asked, because you can help.
Here’s the deal: Those who visit The A.V. Club and unleash personal attacks or exhibit disruptive behavior will have their comments deleted and their accounts deactivated. Think of it this way: If you’re in a public place, you should follow some general rules of decorum:
1. Let’s get the toughest one out of the way: Flagrant personal attacks on The A.V. Club staff, interview subjects, or other commenters will be deleted. These are pointless, and they’ll be treated that way. We encourage debate among The A.V. Club users and staff, but no one is served by mean-spirited aggression. If your argument relies on name-calling and personal attacks, then your argument isn’t sound.
2. Don’t use racism, sexism, or other negative isms, even if you’re trying to be funny and ironic. No one can tell you’re being funny and ironic.
3. Please don’t plug your website, store, band, product, blog, sugar substitute, or whatever else on The A.V. Club. It’s really cheesy, and awfully annoying. We’ll happily provide you with advertising information. Related to that: Please don’t write glowing reviews of places to which you have personal ties. On the flipside, don’t slam them because of those, either.
4. When writing a review of a restaurant or business, have a point, then back it up. We want The A.V. Club to be a place where users can learn about their city–good and bad–and where they can be both students and teachers. Statements like “This place sucks” don’t really do anybody any good. That comment will live a very short life on The A.V. Club, but this one would live on to see its grandchildren grow up: “This place sucks. My food was cold, my waiter completely inattentive, and they overcharged me for my entrées. I’d rather eat at McDonald’s.” Even better, describe your entire experience, from what you ordered to the atmosphere. Be specific, and you’ll serve your fellow man. Well-written critiques will live at The A.V. Club a long time, and hopefully influence the habits of readers to come.
5. The rules will be slightly looser for comments (as opposed to reviews)–let the world know what you thought about a particular concert or event, keeping in mind that those comments will eventually expire.
6. In all instances, try to keep your thoughts relevant to the matter at hand. The comments thread for a restaurant is no place to debate the relative merits of politicians. No one’s going to a band page to read someone’s thoughts on capital punishment. Stay focused on–or at least related to–what’s on the page. Tangential treatises are what personal blogs are made for.
That covers the basics. To keep the law profession thriving, here’s some legalese:
