Why does YAHOO censor comments posted on news stories?

It is becoming painfully obvious that YAHOO is censoring the comments posted on its news stories.

The most egregious example was a recent story about the NAVY SEALS who were acquitted for allegedly beating an Iraqi detainee. Most commentators agreed with the verdict, but there were a few dissenters. Since YAHOO lists the comments on a first-come-first-post basis, the page 1 comments can be easily followed. Page 1 comments on this story were about 8:1 in favor of the verdict vs. questioning it. Then something strange happened. After a few days, all comments on page 1 questioning the decision were removed. Now only comments applauding the verdict and calling the SEALS heroes remain.

Regardless of how I feel about this particular case, I find it disheartening to discover that YAHOO is stifling debate. Is this a business decision (if so, it is a bad one as people are not stupid and will defect to sites where both sides of issues can be argued) or is it individual employees doing it out of some false sense of patriotism?

This is happening with virtually every YAHOO news story. Go check out page 1 of the comments and see how many people are replying to comments that are no longer posted. Someone suggested that if enough people vote "thumbs down" for a comment, it will be removed. However, this does not seem to be the case, as these comments become "hidden" rather than completely erased.

So what gives?

STEVEN G2010-05-02T00:37:07Z

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I just noticed this as well. It seems the first pages of comments are only those Yahoo feels are "correct" for their viewers to read. In my example the story was "Times Square cleared as bomb found in parked SUV." My comment did nothing more than suggest it was a false flag operation. No cursing, no racial or other sensitive keyboards.
I tried again to submit comments to the same effect, etc. No change yet but new ones are still posted by the system admins.

Another creepy Big Internet Nanny move in the "New" United States.

Mark D2015-03-16T12:34:07Z

This was censored:
The US hasn't explained very well why Venezuela is more of a threat than say France!
Either politically or militarily. I have to think the US has a reason. But what?

France helped us in the revolution, and Venezuela is an South American state with an elected president and a constitution that start like this....The people of Venezuela, exercising their powers of creation and invoking the protection of God, the historic example of our Liberator Simon Bolivar and the heroism and sacrifice of our aboriginal ancestors and the forerunners and founders of a free and sovereign nation;
AND if you look into it yourself you may find that Venezuela is't so bad and by the way we have a few warts of our own.

Robert Bear2015-03-17T09:13:06Z

Yes I've noticed that those candy-assed SOB's at yahoo not only censor my stuff, but now they instantly remove ANY comment I post with no explanation!
Obviously they must have some sort of scanning software that spots a name and removes the post, no questions asked!
As John Wayne once said: "That's one way to win an argument!"
**** YAHOO!

Kurt2016-03-18T17:55:10Z

Is there a way to file a class action lawsuit for Yahoo censorship. Enough is enough. I'm really sick and tired of having my posts deleted by the Yahoo censors. I'm willing to stand in court and donate $$$ to such an effort. If you know a law firm willing to go up against these censors please reply

grahame2015-10-27T11:04:12Z

The big story in the UK this morning (27 Oct 2015) was a defeat for the government over plans to cut tax breaks to the lowest paid. Dozens upon dozens of comments in favour of the defeat were suddenly deleted. So the 'page' fills up with more along the same line. Deleted. I watched this happen, as people posted complaints it was happening, THREE times in little over an hour.
And Yahoo never replies.
You can be as racially malicious as you like, just be imaginative with you spelling of racial sobriquets, and Yahoo lets it pass.

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