The Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manhã has outlined a comprehensive set of rules governing user comments on its online articles, emphasizing responsible participation and legal accountability. The guidelines, published on the newspaper’s website, aim to foster a respectful environment for debate while protecting the publication from potential legal repercussions.
Effective participation in the comment sections is limited to registered readers and subscribers of Correio da Manhã Premium, referred to as “Leitores.” Users who comment explicitly agree they are the sole owners of the content they submit and are fully responsible for it, granting Correio da Manhã a perpetual, exclusive license to disseminate the content across all platforms.
The newspaper stresses that submitted comments must not be obscene, offensive, or violate intellectual property rights. Specifically prohibited are commercial messaging outside designated advertising spaces, content promoting hatred, racism, xenophobia, discrimination, or incitement to violence and material intended to defame or harm the reputation of others.
Correio da Manhã reserves the right to suspend or permanently ban users who violate these rules, and to remove comments that do not comply. The publication too notes it does not proactively monitor all comments, but retains the right to pre-screen and reject submissions that breach the established guidelines. All comments will be automatically hidden one week after publication.
The newspaper explicitly states that comments reflect the opinions of their authors alone and do not necessarily represent the views of Correio da Manhã. Users acknowledge full responsibility for any fines, costs, penalties, or damages arising from their published comments. The rules were updated to reflect the importance of a civil online discourse, according to the publication.