Aibu to think MN should delete anti-vax threads?

[FigandVanilla]

The anti-vax movement is becoming a public health issue, and children’s lives are being endangered as a result. This obviously doesn’t only affect the children of anti-vaxxers, but also children who rely on herd immunity to protect them.

There is no scientific basis of any kind to support the anti-vax movement. It is an area where the scientific and medical community are in total agreement - vaccines save lives.

But there are not infrequent threads on Mumsnet where anti-vax sentiment spreads. And it’s always heartening to see the overwhelming push back against this from MNers. But I fear that there will inevitably still be parents who are swayed by these posts.

I am all for debate, but this isn’t a debatable issue. It’s an issue where one side is selling lies and misinformation. Facts are facts, and the truth is anti-vax threads exist because of a denial of the facts.

Should these threads be allowed? Or does MN have some kind of moral duty to children that means they ought to refuse to be a platform for a movement which is based on lies and which is actively harmful to children?

🍿

Yabvu. Of course they shouldn’t be deleted. We are a free speech society.

I am all for debate, but this isn’t a debatable issue
Actually if you only want there to be debate about things you agree with you are not ‘all for debate’.

MN isn’t a governmental platform, though. They can set their own rules about what content they accept. If they don’t want there to be anti-vax posts, they would be entitled to delete them.

Well I would rather they didn’t delete them. And stop free speech.

HTH.

All you do then is force people who have doubts into the antivax echo chambers. Far better to debate here and challenge with actual facts and evidence.

That’s fair. I don’t really know how I feel, because I sometimes think perhaps it’s more helpful to keep the threads up so that anti-vaxxers see the overwhelmingly pro-vax response on MN.

Cross post KoraBora - definitely think you make a valid point

I thought the point of MN is sharing opinions, debate... so no, they shouldn’t be deleted.

By the way, my three children are vaccinated.

What needs to happen is that you need to have children vaccinated to get them into school.
If you don’t want to vaccinate then you can home-educate.

BillywilliamV I think they do that in Australia. It’s a good idea, if only because it minimises the risk that unvaccinated children will compromise herd immunity.

I was never anti vax but there were some aspects of the programme that worried me.

Lots of helpful explanations on here have totally cleared those worries up.

The threads absolutely need to stay

I did have my dc vaccinated many years ago, but was dithering and undecided.the Mn threads would have helped me enormously if I had been a member at the time. So there is an arguement the threads inspire people to vaccinate.

But the main thing is free speech. Mn is a tough progressive site. I can’t see it ever deciding what people are allowed to post or not.

I asked about this once. Response was that they think people can challenge the posts and it's better to leave the debate in plain sight.

I agree, though I dislike giving the anti vax stance the oxygen of publicity, when you really get into some of the views it is hopefully obvious to any reasonable bystander that they are built on sand and require an absolutely enormous conspiracy.

I think it's good to have them here because people talk sense to antivax posters. Otherwise the only discussion they may have is on antivax sites.
I agree that schools shouldn't accept unvaccinated children (without a medical reason).

ODFOD

HTH

I wish they would delete them. As someone who is immunocompromised, I am sick of those who perpetuate the myth that this is a personal choice issue. And the "let's have a heated debate " idea.
What part of "undermining herd immunity can kill" don't people get?

YABU in general. Everyone will have some topic they don't believe is 'debateable' you cannot shut down free speech.

It is a personal choice issue!

Reported this TAAT.

This isn't really a TAAT is it?

I see very very little on here by way of absolute anti vax sentiment anyway.

What I see more of, is parents (like me) who have genuine concerns about the schedule, and would like to split it out/ delay. Very often (as in my case) there is an underlying reason (child having disproportionate reactions to previous vaccinations, and minor illnesses over first 12 months of life, supported by medical concern from paediatricians that there was an underlying immunological condition).

Vaccination and concern about vaccination isn’t as cut and dried as vax/ antivax and sensible rational people who understand Wakefield has been discredited / silly people still believing the Wakefield fabrication. It’s much more nuanced than that.

Plus free speech etc

YABVU

I would rather people who have doubts and decide to google to answer their doubts fall upon a thread there where they are met with peer reviewed facts to counter the anti vac argument than stumble into one of the anti vaccine websites where everything is backed up by links to “vaccinesarebad.co.uk” which are just scaremongering

The current thread isn't even an out and out 'anti' vax thread, just asking questions. She isn't advising anyone not to have them. No it shouldn't be deleted, and this thread proves her point about all discussion being shut down which increases some people's suspicion of vaccines.

YABU

I am all for vaccinations and don’t agree with anti-vaxxers but people should be able to have freedom of speech