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.

It would help for sure.
It just feeds it every single day relentlessly.

Just like watching what they want on their television is their choice
If they are adults with capacity then they are free to make their own decisions about what they want to watch on television and have their own views.

All those women who 'accidentally' see something on their phone, tell them they aren't allowed to go to the pub for the football? You need to up your comprehension levels!

Why get personal? Why the insult?
There is nothing at all wrong with my comprehension levels. I just haven't seen those threads.

There is not just GB News though. Liz Truss now has her own show on YouTube interviewing cancelled people like Jeremy Kyle. That is the new era and nobody can stop it!
Liz Truss seems to think the entire establishment is socialist across BBC, unis etc and the Bank of England set her up to fail. That was the gist of it and some people are watching it. There is simply going to be more and more of this and everyone has a voice now. GB News is almost the cliched version of it now.

Well that’s there business and their prerogative.
My own mother spends a huge amount of time on youtube watching total rubbish and comes out with crazy conspiracy theories. I don’t like it and try and encourage ‘real’ news but she won’t have it so I just don’t listen to her.

Its not like she is planning a mutiny

Absolutely not.
Not when their views are racist and bigoted.
I cant believe this has to be explained to some people here.

This was my mother and it actually did turn out to be one the earlier symptoms of dementia. I found her ranting about illegal immigrants particularly infuriating because she was, for many years, an illegal immigrant...

Well, I'd absolutely agree with that. Along with critical thinking skills. But as I say, there are plenty of people of all political persuasions who do not do this. It's too easy just to go along with your echo chamber.

I really don't think banning news outlets we don't like is the answer.

Who on earth do you think you are? Someone from “1984” obviously. If they want to get angry that’s their right and nothing to do with you.

Would you advocate a complete ban on GB News?. Anything else?

Learn to embrace change.

I read the Mail. I'm not radicalised as I can form my own opinions. There's newspapers I wouldn't entertain ( and some TV programmes) but we live in a democracy. Well, we do for now.

Essentially, your parents are being radicalised by this TV channel!

I think it can potentially be any, some or all of those factors. People of all ages can be susceptible, unstable, nasty and/or make very unwise and/or cruel decisions and proclamations; it's just that different stages and circumstances of life can influence people's individual focuses.

For example, a 20yo incel is (on average) much less likely than an 80yo to focus on
problems in getting GP appointments, as they are far less likely to need and depend on anywhere near as many on a regular basis. Whereas the reverse is more likely to be true when it comes to 'women are all bad, untrustworthy, hate us, are a waste of time' if you're comparing the relative perspectives of a angry young virgin with a man whose wife of 60 years is sitting right there next to him and likely doing everything for him.

Oh wind your neck on!

I think you just need to agree to disagree. This is something we all need to do and get better at really.

Not that I’m aware of. He’s going slightly deaf but he manages day to day. He refuses to pay for specsavers or boots so is waiting the inordinate amount of time for an NHS appointment

Nee Naw Nee Naw call the police!
Haribo anyone?

But it’s just impossible. Anything you say ends up being looped back to it. Any mention of anything and it’s about the “small boats”, Starmer is to blame, Reeves etc. even talking about bloody Clarkson’s Farm!

There is a lot of money to be made from it so there are a lot of people jumping on the bandwagon, I dont think people like Truss believe half of what they are spouting they just know that it's a lucrative market right now.

There is a well established link between hearing loss in old age and dementia.

This is what my dad does. The only thing on at theirs is GB news. I don’t talk dad much.

What do they blame that for?

Okay so let’s say we talk about Clarkson’s Farm - it’s an immediate rant about how Reeves wants to destroy British farming and she is a disgrace, shouldn’t be allowed in power, “someone should take a shot” - okay dad, I just wanted to talk to you about your favourite F1 driver being on the show.

I talk about anything and somehow it links back. Going on holiday? “Oh you must be careful, the boat people, SINK THE BOATS”. It’s insane