Distressing thread titles.

[itsmeafterall]

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?

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

It's not possible to have a trigger warning and a few words title and not read it. That's not how our eyes work. We don't read linearly, our eyes bounce all over the page as we go. So just having the trigger word in the title, you will see it. And if you don't include what the thread is about, then it's pointless.

This. It’s an adult forum. You can scan down the titles and hide things quickly that you don’t want to read.

Did they not do research into trigger warnings and found that those most prone to reacting adversely to the content were more drawn to them - they had the opposite effect

You need to toughen up. Finding a thread title that distressing is ott.

FWIW, I need a tw for thread titles that “disturb” me. Since they are not the sort of things other people are sensitive to, I can’t reasonably expect to be pre-warned about them.

How would you suggest that a thread like that (about the broken spine) be titled OP?

Also news headlines are just as graphic aren't they? "Coventry", "Drone attack kills 20" etc? Do you avoid the news, and if so, how?

Edit - lol sorry the first example was meant to be "man stabbed in Coventry". The concept of Coventry does not require a TW

If you need a "trigger warning" before you read something, you shouldn't be using the Internet unsupervised.

Op you’re literally on a forum for women asking for help. If reading words scare you then I’d advise you put parental controls on your device and stick to cbbc newsround for the news.

Yeah I agree

I agree

YABVU.

It puts me off when I’m feeling a bit anxious, because I’m then thinking about that woman having her spine smashed with a hammer even though I would never have opened a thread like that.

YANBU.

I agree with you OP. Some of the news these days is absolutely beyond belief and I brace myself before going on a news site. I think it's reasonable to give a warning of graphic content without the details. "Violent crime against woman in news" would suffice for the one that's been mentioned.
Yes we are all adults, this doesn't mean it's good for anyone's mental health to be exposed with horrific details of crimes without warning.

@Frannyisreading if the title had been

"Violent crime against woman in news" as per your suggestion

Nobody would've known which violent crime was being referred to! They'd have to open the thread to find out.

Your triggers are your issues, it is not up to the world to protect you from them

If you're that bloody sensitive then move on somewhere else!

If as an adult, you cannot decide that a thread will upset your delicate nature then maybe the internet isn't for you.