I noticed Imwithfred.com requires visitors to register if they want to comment in response to one of the “Fred File” postings. I asked a web-politics guy about this — wondering if this was a backdoor way of collecting names, addresses, and e-mails for a mailing list — and he said a campaign does this for a couple of reasons.

He said the most important reason for commenter registration a campaign like that is the fact that it allows them to build more tools into their social network, allowing their supporters to keep up with their own activity and that of their friends. For instance, if you add a ‘Friend” to your profile on some sites, their comments will show up in your mini-feed, allowing you to see what your friends are talking about and to join their conversations.

Another reason is that it helps weed out trolls, trouble-makers and people who just want to cause mischief. It doesn’t prevent it, of course, but it provides a modest barrier to the whimsical trolls and dirty tricksters.

This tech-guy – who isn’t Patrick Ruffini – noted this story of a lefty troll posting nasty comments (wishing for a terrorist attack) on a site supporting Maine Republican Susan Collins, and then attacking Collins for “allying herself with extremists.” Some days I wonder if half the arguments on comments threads are sock puppets duking it out with themselves.