Do D of E hang out on threads?

[wondersun]

Is it just me... or does anyone else notice a disproportionate number of posters trotting out the party line re schools, especially at times of crisis in schools.

This post has even be removed from the d of e Facebook page.

m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3535507603151665&id=116423535060106&ref=m_notif&notif_t=feedback_reaction_generic

It’s like they want to try and make their narrative seem like the norm and suppress any other views.

One poster (can't remember who) reported how they wrote asking about funding for making schools safer, and received the stock reply saying that the MP didn't support closing schools.

I wrote a template email that MNetters sent to their MPs.

@Iamnotthe1

I missed the DfE post - what did it say?

@MrsMigginsMate
It isn't about the Government being intimidated. It's about using propoganda within social media and this particular Government have been heavily involved with that through facebook, twitter, etc. since the Brexit vote. It's about Mumsnet being used as a vehicle of manipulation, not about the Government being scared of the power of mums.

^^ THIS!!

Disgraceful, and served in my case to lower my opinion even further.

@Iamnotthe1

I missed the DfE post - what did it say?

@MrsMigginsMate
It isn't about the Government being intimidated. It's about using propoganda within social media and this particular Government have been heavily involved with that through facebook, twitter, etc. since the Brexit vote. It's about Mumsnet being used as a vehicle of manipulation, not about the Government being scared of the power of mums.

OP is talking about multiple posters supposedly representing D of E as if there is some sort of organised campaign. That's very different to the government putting a statement out. Government departments have standard cut and paste responses for all sorts nowadays, their post didn't seem specifically aimed at Mumsnet. Looked to me like someone at the department saw the threads and copied the standard government issue statement out without putting much thought into it. Bit of a jump to decide that means there's loads of officially paid trolls trying to turn us all into one of them, getting a bit tinfoil hat that.

Refuse to work in these conditions, if you keep going in day after day struggling, the government will just expect you to confine, an all out strike and remote education until this pandemic is over is the only safe way to go.

@WankPuffins

How do I get a job trolling on forums?

Asking for a friend.

Apply to work for Topham Guerin:

www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/aug/03/topham-guerin-pr-firm-covid-19-contract-conservative-party

@MrsMigginsMate

I think it's far more likely that someone who works for D of E also happens to be a mumsnetter in their spare time and wanted to defend their employer via an official statement. I know some of you love to think that the government is intimidated by a random group of parents on a very niche subforum of a parenting site, but in reality I very much doubt they give a shit. They have bigger fish to fry and mumsnet is a tiny drop in a big ocean.

I know I will be flamed for this, even though it's entirely logical because you all want to be heard, but as far as the government are concerned I think you're all just screaming into the void here. (Not saying you can't be heard in other ways, a good start is writing to your MP.)

You do not know how the government works. You also don’t understand the protocol of giving official statements. That came from the DfE.

@CallmeAngelina

Numerous (teacher) posters on these threads have written to their MPs. If they've received any replies at all, they've been bland, generic "cut & paste" affairs, which avoid answering the points raised.

Do not even bother with the MP, go straight through to Gavin Williamson Secretary instead and bombard her with your issues, that is what I did, and she was very nice.

Given the DfE staff demographic (lots of ex teachers, lots of parents) I would expect there to be a lot of DfErs on MN. I'd also imagine that DfE comms monitor MN as a useful guide to parental opinion.

@BethlehemIsInTier1

Refuse to work in these conditions, if you keep going in day after day struggling, the government will just expect you to confine, an all out strike and remote education until this pandemic is over is the only safe way to go.

*Continue, not confine !

@Itisasecret. You do not know the first thing about me so don't be so obnoxious. Of course it's entirely possible that an employee has mandate to release a standard cut and paste response to various outlets and decided to include Mumsnet on that list.

We know that the government hired 'social media influencers' as part of their 'schools are safe' campaign in the summer. No reason to suspect that they have abandoned that approach.

Do not even bother with the MP, go straight through to Gavin Williamson Secretary instead and bombard her with your issues, that is what I did, and she was very nice.

Contact details would be appreciated.

You are only allowed to email MPs if you are in their constituency so ways to circumvent that would be good.

@MrsMigginsMate
OP is talking about multiple posters supposedly representing D of E as if there is some sort of organised campaign.

You missed my point. Based upon the number of false twitter, facebook, etc. accounts that people have been paid to create in order to push propoganda onto members of the general public, it's entirely feasible that a group of people or a company have been paid to create propoganda Mumsnet accounts in the exact same way. I'm not saying that it's happened but I am saying that this Government has form for this level of digital manipulation over the last six years.

The responses have been pretty predictable, you're all tired of being ignored and want to feel listened to, I get it. But this is a daft conspiracy theory. I will leave you to adjust your tin foil hats because this is pretty bonkers even by Mumsnet standards.

[quote MrsMigginsMate]@Itisasecret. You do not know the first thing about me so don't be so obnoxious. Of course it's entirely possible that an employee has mandate to release a standard cut and paste response to various outlets and decided to include Mumsnet on that list.[/quote]
You’ve totally missed the point, that’s clear. It’s not obnoxious to point that out.

Unless it’s about secondary schools being riddled with covid and then you can start as many 1000 post threads as you like and the press will still ignore it.

The press, esp BBC are part funded by the Govt...so have to follow a script to a point...the government will never admit that teachers and their assistants are considered collateral...

@itisasecret. I didn't miss your point. I got it, but I entirely disagree.

[quote MrsMigginsMate]@itisasecret. I didn't miss your point. I got it, but I entirely disagree.[/quote]
I thought you were leaving the thread?

Their line has always been "your children are safe in school".... They have consistently omitted to include teachers.

@itisasecret. You may not understand how notifications work but if you don't want to talk to me then stop hitting mine up

@MrsMigginsMate

The responses have been pretty predictable, you're all tired of being ignored and want to feel listened to, I get it. But this is a daft conspiracy theory. I will leave you to adjust your tin foil hats because this is pretty bonkers even by Mumsnet standards.

This isn't some made up conspiracy theory. There is clear evidence to show how the Government has used social media to target and manipulate cross-sections of the population through fake accounts, targetted 'adverts', etc. This has been well-publised - the Cambridge Analytica scandal was part of it.

As I said, I'm not saying that Mumsnet has been used in this way. But it's a reasonable question because if it hasn't, it's one of a very small number of social media platforms that remain untouched.

Just seen the most horrendous Sun article on FB. Someone please tell me it's not actually been written and printed?
If so I feel the DfE have stopped to new lows to make our schools are safe and Hancock has had his arse kicked for mentioning that in fact - are not.

[quote MrsMigginsMate]@itisasecret. You may not understand how notifications work but if you don't want to talk to me then stop hitting mine up [/quote]
Turn them off, that’s what I do. Or are you that poster that flounces, calls everyone bonkers but keeps coming back for the last word?

Well the DfE dont have never cared to defend on the SEN boards or listen to the many SEN SM parent forums.

Its lovely to think Gov watch things on a personal level in their spare time, unfortunately its unlikely as they hold the money and power. Parents grouping together sharing knowledge of navigating things like beating the EHCP system individually changes lives but collectively is like farting into the wind

This is from someone in a group that has publically taking Gov education to court been on prime time TV repeatedly almost monthly. It's more high profile than MN. No one in gov is that invested in this.

There are two possibilities. Geniusly evil or scarcely incompetent. It's always the latter