A note to our commenters

KVIA ABC-7 viewers an discuss local news on the kvia.com website and news app thanks to the digital commenting platform Viafoura. Our goal is to provide a forum for civil and constructive conversation.

Our comment section is a place for the community to talk about the news that matters here, and we value everyone who takes part.

Recently, we noticed some unusual activity in our comments.

A small number of accounts were misusing the “report” button: flagging comments because they disagreed with them, not because they broke our rules. Some people were also returning under new accounts after being removed. We’ve looked into it and taken action against the accounts involved.

A few reminders so the conversation stays fair for everyone:

• Report comments that break the rules, not ones you disagree with. Our moderators review every report, and reporting to silence someone doesn’t work.
• One person, one account. Creating new accounts to get around a ban, or to back yourself up in an argument, will get all of them removed.
• Disagree with the idea, not the person. Debate is welcome. Personal attacks, threats and harassment are not.
• You can read our full community guidelines here.

Thanks to everyone who keeps this space thoughtful and civil. We’re glad you’re here!

If you haven't signed up for Viafoura, it only takes a few minutes! Start by clicking the bell that appears when you open the comments section on one of our stories.

If you are using the kvia.com website on a computer, find the bell on the bottom right corner of your screen.