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A Norwegian Website Is Making Readers Pass a Quiz Before Commenting (niemanlab.org)
Joseph Lichterman, writing for Nieman Lab: Two weeks ago, NRKbeta, the tech vertical of the Norwegian public broadcaster NRK, published an explainer about a proposed new digital surveillance law in the country. Digital security is a controversial topic, and the conversation around security issues can become heated. But the conversation in the comments of the article was respectful and productive: Commenters shared links to books and other research, asked clarifying questions, and offered constructive feedback. The team at NRKbeta attributes the civil tenor of its comments to a feature it introduced last month. On some stories, potential commenters are now required to answer three basic multiple-choice questions about the article before they're allowed to post a comment. The goal is to ensure that the commenters have actually read the story before they discuss it.
And here's the list of questions:
1) Where do hot grits go?
2) Give us a good "In Soviet Russia" joke.
3) Who is Old Ike?
4) What does the acronym GNAA stand for?
5) What movie is it a requirement to watch to join GNAA?
"But the conversation in the comments of the article was respectful and productive"
[CITATION NEEDED] ;-)
If you post as Anonymous Coward, don't expect a reply.
I don't know why I must pass a test before being able to read a website. Also, do I have to pay for the test? How long is it? I think this is a stupid solution for a non-existent problem.
Why isn't this quiz being presented in multiple languages?
Did you read the article before posting that?
If this was about voting, and if the quiz was a literacy test, then yes.
I do not want your cheap brainburning drugs. They are useless for work. And I am a working man today.
If it were to be tried at Slashdot, I think the editors would have had to have read the articles in order to make up the quiz questions. It couldn't possibly work.
Starting April 1, Slashdot will require users to pass a drug test before commenting. Here in the /. offices, we refer to it as the "If You're Not High, GTFO Rule".
Submission of a >0.080 breathalyzer score will also be accepted for full credit.
You are welcome on my lawn.
... would start with, "What day was the original version of this duplicate post posted?"
This summary was too long, but whatever the concept it proposes is just ludicrous.
I want to make a bot that can answer the quiz. My theory is that, once I have done so successfully, it can make more intelligent comments on the article than the average commenter. At that point, I think I have won my own personal turing test.
Next up: A bot that tells you if the news is fake. Has someone already done that? I imagine something like Microsoft's "clippy" popping up in the corner saying "I see that you are reading complete bu11sh*t. Would you like some help posting vitriolic comments?"
The only way this can work with US readers is if the questions are shorter than 140 characters, and the answers were in the readers' twitter feeds within ten minutes of the question being asked.
Also, SQUIRREL!
I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
Oh, there is. It goes like this:
[ ] Check if you think "interstate" is a synonym for "intrastate"
[ ] Check if you think "unreasonable" means "ignore the rest of this amendment"
[ ] Check if you think "ex post facto" means "pile on punishment at will post-sentencing"
[ ] Check if you think article five says "SCOTUS shall make any amendments it likes"
[ ] Check if you think article three says "article five was just there for humor's sake"
[ ] Check if you think "shall not infringe" means "infringe"
[ ] Check if you think "rights reserved to the people" means "things congress can tell them they can't do"
[ ] Check if you think "speedy and public trial" means "rot in Guantanamo indefinitely"
[ ] Check if you think "inflicting cruel and unusual punishment" means "withholding waterboarding"
[ ] Check if you can keep a straight face while intoning "support and defend the Constitution"
Bonus questions:
[ ] Check if you will take bribes from lobbyists
[ ] Check if you will do what the party "leadership" tells you to
Did you check all the boxes? Congratulations! You have qualified to pass the initial screening process of our two political parties!
I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.