Patch Reminder: Play Nice in the Comments

On April 1, Albany Patch posted a parody article . One reader embraced the spirit of April Fool’s Day a bit too ardently and posted a comment purporting to come from City Councilman Robert Lieber. The real Robert Lieber, at least the Robert Lieber who sits on the , never commented on the article. We removed the comment and deleted the account used to make it.

This seems like a good time to remind the Albany Patch community that while it’s impossible for Patch editors to verify the accuracy of every account registered with Patch, maintaining a civil and lively conversation is one of the most important aspects of our job. Posting under someone else’s name is not allowed on Albany Patch. We will delete such comments as swiftly as we remove personal attacks and other hurtful posts.

Keep in mind that Patch editors moderate online conversation the old-fashioned way - no fancy algorithms for us. We use our knowledge of the community, our terms of use, and the golden rule to guide our decisions about what stays on the site and what we remove. Perhaps most importantly, we also rely on you to flag comments that spoil thoughtful, informed and courteous conversation on Albany Patch.