To block GBNews from my parent’s TV?

[goslowly]

My parents retired 4 years ago. They’re both in their 60s, healthy, happy, comfortable financially.

Since they’ve retired they have been sucked in by every single thing they say on there. They can spend an entire day sat in front of the TV getting angrier and angrier. It’s to the point that if Starmer comes on the TV, they shout about how he should be killed.

it’s genuinely starting to concern me. You can’t have a rational conversation with them about anything. I miss my parents, how they used to be before all the conspiracy and anger took over.

I’m genuinely tempted to block it from their tv using parental controls and just pretending it’s some weird fault in their telly. They’d not be able to fix it.

I agree; but I do think that it can be a factor with some older people - whereby they not only feel more and more out of touch with the world and powerless to change it (or even understand the changes that they see around them), but they also have the spare time to fret and fulminate about things.

Even when it comes to perfectly neutral and mundane things, as their own world shrinks, some older folk fixate on trivia and make it a much bigger thing than it should be, as their new sense of purpose and pride, which people who are still working simply couldn't do if they wanted to - whether it's mentally allocating an entire day to putting the bins out or collecting a prescription, or people parking harmlessly on the public street outside their own homes.

I remember a retired relative who got so het up about not knowing when the bin men would come, as it varied quite a bit from week to week. It really perturbed him and made him feel like he couldn't be in control. Meanwhile, the people going out to work would put their bins out full the night before, come home and bring the empty bin back in the evening, and not give it a moment's thought as to whether they'd emptied it at 8, 10:30, 12:02, 2:49 or whenever.

You can get just as many younger people with racist and other nasty views, but they tend to have much less spare time because they're out at work and/or looking after families; and also usually feel more connected with modern media and so feel they can have their say (e.g. on SM) and be validated by dozens of likes, rather than feeling that they have to shout at the TV and desperately find anybody who will listen to them.

They sound about the same age as me, and that most definitely hasn't happened to me, or my friends! They've probably got at least 20 years ahead of them. It's disappointing that they do absolutely nothing.

While their views don’t align with mine, you can’t control what they choose to watch or what opinions they hold.
That’s controlling. They’re adults and get to choose what they want to watch and what opinions they want to express.
If you don’t like it then each time they say something you don’t agree with you can shit the conversation down and divert it somewhere else.
What you can’t do is this weird attempt to control them.
Can you imagine if a poster came on here and said they’d blocked something from the TV that their partner likes to watch because they don’t agree with the contents? They’d be called controlling and abusive - because it is.

The difference is that the Guardian reports from a left of centre focus, but they don't set out to spread misinformation. Their news is factual at least, whereas GB news is not.

For balance, I'm 62 and retired, and have never watched GBNews, and would probably be considered one of the 'lefties' the OP's parents want to kill 😬

I'm assuming @goslowly that they don't have any hobbies that take them out into the world?

My mum has become like this and we have basically no relationship now. It got worse as she worked less (and now not at all). I can’t stand it. My husband is an immigrant and my son is mixed race so all the nastiness has a direct impact on them. I am highly critical of the current governement (and previous one), but it’s the misinformation, conspiracy theories and hate I can’t stand… it’s awful.

It's concerning so many people condone the suggestion. I hope these people have other children that have less time on their hands. Imagine your own child going to your home and announcing your private discussions to the world to have strangers condone forced censorship. Insane. Maybe we should tell the parents about their child being on MN and how it's affecting their views which are quite concerning! Maybe someone should block MN from OPs computer? It's affecting their judgement to the detriment of their own parents!

Younger people can stir it more on social media.

It’s nothing to do with age if their abuse are objectionable I wouldn’t bother going to see them. Keep the visits very short and make it very clear why you can’t come round anymore.

That's ridiculous, they're fully grown adults and hardly that old.
Yes, it's a shame and maybe you could encourage hobbies for them?
As for controlling their access to media, well, that is very wrong.

As someone to the right politically, your dad seems to be, bluntly, unhinged.

Is it mainly your dad or is your mum not as bad and agrees to keep the peace? Either way I think you need to sit him down or perhaps write a letter and say that you are worried about them. That it's not normal to talk about killing people even in the privacy of their house and whilst you accept they are to the right they sound like neo Nazis and you are concerned that they are not well.

Maybe OP you should ask yourself whether you haven't been radicalized by the mainstream media.

Why stop there?

If you wish to censor their media, why not also control their finances, their diet, their social life?

You are being hugely unreasonable, and deep down, you know that - hence your thread.

Well, all I can say is that I don't, and I would condemn that too. Reporting to Prevent is not going to solve anything here because from the sound of it there are just far too many people who've got sucked into conspiracy theories and become extremist in their views (on all sides).

I would go for it. It sounds as if you and they w__ould be much happier.
(is this a subscription service they are paying for?)

Won't they just ask you to fix it? What if they decide to take it further when you 'can't help' and pay a professional for help, or even buy a different TV? Or figure out what's wrong themselves, and realise you lied to them and blocked it?

I think you'll find all broadcast news is regulated equally via ofcom

They're probably watching it on Freeview. I think the OP would have to block the whole service.

That crossed my mind, too. There were a few people, around a dozen or so, who'd brought primary age kids along, and some with small kids in buggies. They were remarkably well-behaved and the older ones seemed to enjoy themselves.

I get where you’re coming from. One of our neighbours has drunk the Kool-Aid and is now a full blown Tommy Ten-Names/Farage/Hatie Kopkins fangirl who spends her life ranting about Starmer on Facebake and the street WhatsApp. I don’t think you can do anything sadly - I think it’s wrong to censor what they watch in their own homes. All you can do is withdraw from the conversation or try to divert them in some way.

There is no reasoning with people when they get like this - actual facts and figures don’t matter when they’re in the grip of a cult.

Yes, the ageism is shocking. DP and I are in our 60s, still working, fit, mentally alert, active, and find GB News abhorrent.
We’d also know if someone had been messing with our tv!
Ive voted YANBU, but you can’t really do it.

There was a thread yesterday where several mumsnetters agreed that Trump should be killed. I guess the outrage only applies if left wing politicians are threatened.

I’m not surprised you’re horrified. The ageist nonsense on this thread is shocking.

OP do they actually advocate killing or do they use hyperbole like “ I wish someone would take a pot shot at him”

If the latter, then it’s a generational, over exaggerated, not meant in reality expression of disagreement with that person’s views.

A bit like “ I’ll swing for him”… the person saying it is not actually contemplating murder

Thinking of the violence and threats of death that feminist “Terfs” receive which has become normalised, wanting to kill people you disapprove of is not beyond nice, young left wingers. GB news is one of the few news outlets to cover this.