Unveiling the Mystery: Commenting Limitations Explained

21 May 2025

When you visit our website or interact with us on Facebook, we genuinely welcome your thoughts and comments. We know that for many readers, the ability to respond and share views is a key part of the experience. However, you may have noticed that on certain stories, the comment section is disabled both on our site and on social media. You might be wondering why this happens. The main reason is usually legal, as the story may involve an ongoing court case. In such instances, allowing public comments can risk prejudicing the outcome of a trial. Even well-meaning remarks could unintentionally interfere with the legal process or violate strict laws around court reporting and contempt. If you see that you can’t comment on a post, it’s not personal, the same applies to everyone. Sometimes, we turn off comments shortly after publishing a story because we can’t always monitor them around the clock.

Protecting Legal Integrity

The police and legal experts have also urged the public not to speculate online about live court proceedings. This typically happens when a story involves an ongoing criminal trial or legal process. Publishing comments on such stories could risk breaking contempt of court laws, which are designed to protect the fairness of trials. Contempt of court refers to actions that could obstruct or interfere with the justice system. It includes things like ignoring a court order, taking photos in court, or, crucially for readers, publicly commenting on a case in a way that could influence its outcome. You should avoid saying anything about someone’s guilt or innocence, revealing previous convictions, or naming individuals the court has ordered to stay anonymous, such as underage victims or defendants, or sex crime survivors. Sharing restricted evidence is also illegal.

Awareness of Consequences

Yes, if your comment breaches contempt laws, you could face legal consequences, even if you didn’t intend harm. That’s why we sometimes disable comments altogether on sensitive stories. It’s for everyone’s protection. It’s best to remove it immediately. Courts and police regularly monitor social media, and posts can be used as evidence. If in doubt, say nothing. It’s always safer. Not at all. Contempt of court laws have been around for decades, but with social media, more people are at risk of unknowingly breaking them. That’s why we take extra care to follow them and ask that our readers do too. For all the latest news, visit the homepage and sign up to our daily newsletter.