The Forge has made it easier for readers to participate in timely professional discussion and debate.

When The Forge first introduced user accounts and article comments the Managing Editor needed to approve all new accounts before readers could comment. The Managing Editor also needed to review and approve each comment before it appeared on the site.

While this approach helped us manage the comments, it also created friction for readers. A person who wanted to join the conversation first had to create an account, then wait for approval. In many cases, by the time they were able to comment, the moment had passed.

The Forge has now removed that friction.

1. Accounts can now comment as soon as they are created. You will still need to set up a password and multifactor authentication, but you no longer need to wait for manual approval before commenting.
2. Comments now appear immediately. Once submitted, comments will be posted without waiting for pre-approval.

We will continue to review accounts after they are created to ensure that the information provided meets our terms and conditions. Comments may also be moderated after publication if they do not meet our terms of use.

If you see something on The Forge that you believe should not be publicly available, you can use the Report Page button to alert us. We are also working on a Report Comment button, which will allow readers to report specific comments. This feature is expected to be available in the next few weeks.