Raw Story is upgrading its commenting system: Here's what you need to know

I’m writing to let you know that we will be upgrading our comments system on Sept. 15. This means that if you comment, you’ll need to create a new account on our new platform, OpenWeb.

If you’re an avid commenter, this may initially feel like a big change. While we hoped to carry over all the accounts and data from Disqus, the two systems are not compatible.

OpenWeb is used by most large online news sites. It is well-known for increasing comment quality, while diminishing disrespect. Here are a few of its core advantages:

• Better AI-backed moderation. This will reduce incivility before it occurs, but more importantly, it will recognize high-quality comments that keep the conversation lively and substantial.
• A wider suite of user-first experiences. Beyond just conversations, we’ll now have the support to run experiences like live blogs & expert AMAs, polls, personalized notifications, and the ability for users to track topics they care about most.
• Will eventually be able to follow other users. This will help create stronger ties within the RawStory community.

We’re working to import old comments so they’ll still appear on pages where you replied. At first, though, those comments may not appear on the site. The process takes a long time because it involves importing comments published over many years.

While change isn’t easy, we’re confident that OpenWeb will ultimately enhance your experience at Raw Story. We truly appreciate your patience as we migrate to a new system.

Thank you — as always — for being part of the Raw Story community.