SPOILER ALERT! The above mentioned words churn up a tumultuous battle within us that rages on until we come to finite decision regarding the question at hand... DO I CLICK ON THE ARTICLE OR DON'T I? These words serve as both warning and temptation. They warn us of the impending information and the consequences of knowing it. They also tempt us because, let's face it, we're noisy and have got to know what lies ahead. For the longest time, these words have raised questions and started conflicts. I'm going to discuss a few of the things I have seen mentioned in comments sections.
______________________________ 1. Should spoilers be allowed on the main page?
First off, the site owner/administrators have almost complete control over what makes the main page... and rightfully so. They run this site that many of us call 'home'. That being said, some feel that spoilers should be handled with discretion. While I myself don't mind the odd spoiler, I can see where these people are coming from. However, the fact still remains, the site owner has every right to post whatever he wants on the main page, spoilers included. It is HIS website.
2. Should pictures that could be considered spoilers be posted on the main page?
This one get's people really agitated. It's one thing to read about a spoiler, it's another thing entirely to see what's been spoiled. Again, I stand neutral on this issue because I enjoy a good spoiler, but it's easy to understand why some would get very upset over it. The fact still remains that the site owner has the right to do whatever he so wishes with any photo/video in his possession... even if that means plastering it all over the main page.
3. But it's so easy to simply put the words 'SPOILER ALERT' in the title of an article. Why don't they just do that for any articles that contain spoilers?
To be honest, most of the time the words 'SPOILER ALERT' are featured in bright bold red lettering in the headline of any article containing spoilers. There are very few times that I am aware of that this was not the case. It's worth noting that there is really no rule governing spoilers, so the warnings are a courtesy on the part of the writer of the article. Those that give us this courtesy should be thanked for their consideration. However, seeing as there is no set rule governing the issue of spoilers, we really have no right to condemn those that don't give us warnings.
______________________________ I was always told, never raise an issue if you don't have a possible solution. This is simply a suggestion as to a probable solution to this problem. I admit that I have no idea how much effort or time would be involved in implementing this solution. Here goes...
I propose that a 'spoilers' section be created for CBM.
With a SPOILER section, the onus is off the owner of the site for any spoiled information. The responsibility will be strictly upon the user. If you click on it, it's your fault. This eliminates the constant argument over what should be done regarding spoilers.
That's my two cents on the issue.
If you have anything to add, leave it the comments section.
Thanks for reading!