Comments Policy

We do not currently provide the opportunity for commenting directly on our website because we do not have the personnel to moderate comments.  To keep social media spaces constructive and safe, all participants must follow these rules: 1. Be respectful. We will not tolerate personal attacks, harassment, hate speech, or discriminatory remarks. 2. Stick to the topic. Comments should relate to the subject of the article. 3. Be truthful. Do not post false or misleading information. 4. Protect privacy. Do not post private information about yourself or others. 5. No commercial promotion or spam. Comments that advertise or solicit business will be removed. 6. Keep it clean. Profanity and vulgar language are discouraged and may result in removal. Moderation RiverheadLOCAL reserves the right to delete comments or block users who repeatedly violate these guidelines. We may close comment sections on particular stories when discussion becomes uncivil or legally sensitive. Social Media Conduct Our social media pages are an extension of our publication. We expect users to uphold the same standards of civility there as they would in person.  – Comments by bot or fake accounts will be deleted and the account will be blocked. – Comments threatening violence, spreading falsehoods, or attacking individuals will be removed. – Persistent violators may be blocked. – We will not respond to abusive or harassing private messages. Participation by RiverheadLOCAL Our editors and reporters may join comment threads to clarify facts or provide context, but we will not argue with readers or defend opinions. Our role is to facilitate understanding, not to win debates. Legal Responsibility By posting a comment, you acknowledge that you are solely responsible for the content you share. We reserve the right to cooperate with law enforcement in cases involving threats, harassment, or unlawful activity. Our Community, Our Shared Space RiverheadLOCAL is built on trust — between our newsroom and our readers, and among readers themselves. We believe respectful debate makes our community stronger. If you wouldn’t say it to someone’s face at a local  restaurant, don’t post it on RiverheadLOCAL.