Care to comment? We are tired of toxic comment sections and making some changes

Courier Journal

Update: This experiment is still ongoing, but Facebook comments have been turned back on for now. We will keep you updated as this process continues. Read below for more info on what we're doing.

The comment sections on courierjournal.com have often been a toxic space meant instead for the thoughtful exchange of ideas.

That must change.

Our site is joining 23 news organizations across the USA TODAY Network to find a better way for you to have meaningful discussions around our content, so we’re turning off the ability to leave comments on articles — for now.

During this experiment, run in conjunction with the Center for Media Engagement and Coral, sister newsrooms across the country will experiment with other ideas. We’ll look at website data, your feedback and more to help improve the conversations happening on our websites.

Our goal isn’t to permanently end comments, nor is it to discourage feedback. We still want to hear from you and we’ll continue to welcome comments on our Facebook page and through letters to the editor.

We hope you’ll share your experience with us, too. Was commenting or reading the comments important to you? Would you like us to bring it back? How did you find the commenting space in general before we began the test? Are you more now more likely to participate in discussions on Facebook? If we bring comments back, what needs to change?

We want to hear from you. Email us at comments@courier-journal.com.