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AIBU?

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Original poster

Distressing thread titles.

83 replies

itsmeafterall · 05/02/2026 16:07

I don't think iIABU but there seems to have been a recent sharp rise in really distressing thread titles -without a trigger warning. By the time I've read them it's too bloody late.

There is so much terrible content on the internet at the moment - especially with the Epstein shit in spades so, sadly, plenty of grim material to discuss. Not saying it shouldn't be raised, but a TW should be used.

AIBU in asking people to be a lot more
Thoughtful when posting - MN can't be asked to be in top of editing with immediate turnaround.

TW coming up of a recent example below.

Im referring to titles like the one I just saw about a woman having her spine broken on video. Seriously grim.

@mnhq please can I ask you to issue a reminder to people to be more careful?

OP posts:
Bertiebiscuit · 05/02/2026 16:28

Surely we are all adults, not children who need ridiculous warnings. Please don't go to "trigger warnings" etc, if you can't handle adult issues don't go on serious websites. It's the Internet not ceebeebies

SilenceInside · 05/02/2026 16:27

Reminders are not effective, not everyone would see them, not everyone would agree and comply. There will always be content that some people find distressing that others can tolerate. I immediately hide threads with titles that I find too much, which is what I did with the one you mention in your OP.

SaulHudsonDavidJones · 05/02/2026 16:27

Come on, at some point you have to realise that the world can’t be sugar coated for you. A title is fine. Sure, TW the content itself but there needs to be a line.

MyNextDoorNeighbourVotesReform · 05/02/2026 16:25

If the title upsets you, hide the thread before reading it

TheInkIsBlackThePageIsWhite · 05/02/2026 16:25

This is a discussion forum, it makes it hard to discuss anything if we have to merely allude to it in the thread title for fear of upsetting someone.

There's far worse all over the Internet, on the TV, in the news etc. You can't live your whole life needing a trigger warning on all words that upset you.

StrawberryJamAndRaspberryPie · 05/02/2026 16:22

Tbh if you can’t read words that frighten you then you should probably not be on the internet.

5128gap · 05/02/2026 16:21

I think YABU. This is a forum where we discuss the world we live in and many things that happen in the world are distressing. A woman did have her spine broken on video. That upsets me too, but my sensibilities matter far less than the facility to bring this to peoples awareness and to talk about it. I also think 'grim' is more appropriate for describing a grubby bathroom than a violent attack on a woman police officer.

TigerRag · 05/02/2026 16:08

But the title is usually a give away that they're going to be disturbing content?