NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- In the wake of several harassing messages received after a story on the DUI arrest involving a relative of the mayor was published, NSBNews.net is tightening its comment sections.
Those wanting to make a comment at the end of stories or columns will have to provide a working e-mail address, or their comment will not be published. Even with a legitimate e-mail, NSBNews.net has the option of "publishing" a comment or leaving it "unpublished" or deleting it altogether. Messages deemed threatening or harassing will be reported to the authorities.
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The story published by NSBNews.net on the DUI arrest of Mark C. Barringer
(http://www.nsbnews.net/content/407298-new-smyrna-beach-mayors-cousin-arrested-dui-crash-2nd-time) resulted in several messages protesting the legitimacy of the story accompanied by harassing comments. NSBNews.net went out of its way to put an editor's note atop the story that the mayor had nothing to do with the allegations that led to the arrest of a cousin and that he was only mentioned because of the name connection. This also was emphasized in the editor/publisher's column (http://nsbnews.net/content/407306-name-recognition-doubled-edged-sword-nsb-mayor-relatives-arrest).
The way the comment section is set up now, NSBNews.net can still track the source of the message, but it is more complicated without a legitimate e-mail. Two months ago, NSBNews.net received two messages deemed threatening and harassing from an individual. Those messages were traced and reported to the New Smyrna Beach police. If an arrest is made, NSBNews.net will write a story on that individual, along with their jail mug and copies of the two messages, accompanied by a warning that the content is graphic.
NSBNews.net is not going to be intimidated in carrying out its journalistic mission. Sending harassing or threatening messages electronically is a misdemeanor that carries up to one year in jail, if convicted. NSBNews.net welcomes and even encourages freedom of expression, but not name calling, innuendo or threats.