Recently, we expanded on our story commenting "rules." You can see them at the bottom of every story by clicking on the button to expand the comment box. I've also included them at the bottom of this blog post.

Along with many other newspapers, we are struggling with what to do with story comments. I believe comments have their place and can really help spark discussions between several points of view. But we also know that some commenters can get out of hand with personal attacks. (Think about it: Would you really say to your mom or your 10-year-old what you will say anonymously? If not, then why post it?)

We don't want to dictate the conversations online. And we simply don't have the staff available to read every comment even if we wanted to. We rely on readers to flag comments that cross over the line. But what do you think the solution is? I've started a forum discussion on this topic here. Please add your thoughts to the discussion.

Darlene Carnopis
Online Initiatives Editor
Idaho Statesman

"What You Should Know About Comments on IdahoStatesman.com

IdahoStatesman.com is happy to provide a forum for reader interaction, discussion, feedback and reaction to our stories. However, we reserve the right to delete inappropriate comments or ban users who can't play nice.

* Don't flag a comment just because you disagree with the opinion. The goal of story comments is to allow discussion, not just one point of view.
* Don't insult one another or the subjects of our articles. If you think a comment violates our guidelines, click the "report abuse" button to notify us. Responding to the comment will only encourage bad behavior by those folks who just want the attention.
* Don't use profanities, vulgarities or hate speech. This is a general interest news site. Sometimes, there are children present. Don't say anything in a way you wouldn't want your own child to hear. Or anything you wouldn't want your mother to hear.
* Do not attack other users; focus your comments on issues, not individuals.
* Stay on topic. Only post comments relevant to the article at hand. If you want to discuss an issue with a specific user, click on his profile name and send him a direct message.
* Don't repeat the same comment over and over. We heard you the first time.
* Do not use the commenting system for advertising. That's spam and it isn't allowed.
* Don't use all capital letters. That's akin to yelling and not appreciated by the audience.

You should also know that The Idaho Statesman does not screen comments before they are posted. You are more likely to see inappropriate comments before our staff does, so we ask that you click the "report abuse" button to submit those comments for review. You also may notify us via email at onlinenews@idahostatesman.com Note the headline on which the comment is made and tell us the profile name of the user who made the comment. Remember, you may find some material objectionable that we won't and vice versa."